The Chicago Bears are entering the 2026 NFL season looking to build on a breakthrough 2025 campaign that saw the team finish 11-6 and advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.
Head coach Ben Johnson said his team is practicing at a different level than it was a year ago. Johnson told reporters the team is now practicing at a “championship level,” a standard he says he couldn’t apply to last year’s squad. Newsweek
Chicago opens the regular season on the road against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, then returns home for a three-game stretch starting with the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 — a matchup that will mark the 130th all-time regular-season meeting between the two NFC North rivals, with Chicago holding a 33-29-2 home record in the series. chicagobears
The Bears’ 2026 slate is notably front-loaded with national exposure. The team is scheduled for five primetime games and two standalone games this season, tying the franchise’s high mark for primetime appearances since at least 2000, and Chicago will play across all five days from Thursday through Monday for the first time in franchise history. The Bears will also appear on both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the same season for the first time in team history — facing Detroit on Thanksgiving and hosting Green Bay on Christmas Day. chicagobearswrex
Beyond the schedule, this year’s team enters camp with continuity at quarterback and along the offensive line, key pieces general manager Ryan Poles has prioritized retaining after last season’s late-year surge. Full training camp coverage and roster analysis will follow throughout the preseason.
Full 2026 schedule highlights:
- Week 1: at Carolina Panthers
- Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Monday Night Football)
- Week 7: vs. New England Patriots (Thursday Night Football)
- Week 12: at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving Day)
- Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers (Christmas Day)