Why Chargers’ Keenan Allen Won Bears Fans Over With Recent Comments

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen hopes to be back with the team despite his status as an impending free agent this offseason.

But while out and about recently, he’s made some noise with Chicago Bears fans for some comments.

Allen was active on the Super Bowl media circuit this past week, appearing in a series of interviews.

Understandably, Allen’s time with the Bears eventually entered the conversation. Before his successful return to the Chargers, he had one year in Chicago with a team that…needed a fresh start, to say the least.

Chargers’ Keenan Allen turns heads with Bears comments

To Allen’s credit, he kept it as professional as possible when talking about the Matt Eberflus Bears, which turned into the Thomas Brown Bears on the way to a 5-12 finish. The offense directed by Shane Waldron certainly didn’t help.

Chatting with host Zach Gelb, Allen was asked if he was shocked by the Bears’ success this year.

“Absolutely not,” Allen said. “When I was there, the team that we had a lot of talent just always kind of held back just by…I won’t get into it specifically.”

When prodded to suggest it was the coaching, Allen dropped this:

“I won’t get into the specifics but we kind of held back. The roster was definitely in a good place where we could of done some things as they did this year. Definitely hats off to them. They did a great job.”

Keenan Allen says he wasn't surprised by Caleb Williams' success this season.

Why were they held back a year ago?

I wonder what it could be? Cough, cough...coaching. @Bounty pic.twitter.com/d9WJ2E4NqT
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) February 5, 2026

Under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears just went 11-6 and won a playoff game before an overtime exit in the divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams.

Not that Allen sounds like a guy bitter or upset he wasn’t in Chicago. The Chargers were the only reported and realistic destination for him last offseason, something that eventually came to fruition after Mike Williams abruptly retired over the summer.

Now going into his age-34 season, Allen could be a key cog of the Mike McDaniel-directed offense alongside Ladd McConkey, Tre Harris and others, should the two sides get back together.

Either way, Allen will remain in the good graces of Bears fans and surely has more glowing things to say about the Chargers under the direction of Jim Harbaugh.

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