The Chicago Bears achieved some incredible feats in 2025. Beyond going from worst to first within the NFC North and securing their first winning record since 2018, they changed the culture of the team. The positive environment and atmosphere the Bears cultivated has spread beyond just the locker room and into the city of Chicago.
Bears fans have been looking for stability within the franchise for years. Now the team has an established head coach, a superstar quarterback, and foundational pieces that will set them up for success in the future. Despite their loss in the Divisional Round to the Los Angeles Rams, Bears fans have hope and are genuinely excited about the team moving forward. Before this season, their last playoff win was over a decade and a half ago, in 2010. Now a new standard has been set, and one the team will look to raise next year.
Caleb Williams Reflects On Sophomore Season
GettyIn 2025 quarterback Caleb Williams broke the Chicago Bears all time passing record throwing for 3,942 yards.
Following their loss to the Rams, Caleb Williams provided insight into his immediate reaction.
“On the drive home, you’re thinking about it. On the drive home, you’re contemplating on you know, the game, you’re contemplating on you don’t know on who all is going to be here next year. All these different things,” Williams said to the media on Monday.
“Reflecting back on it, supremely grateful, supremely appreciative of everyone here, the organization, like I said last night, Chicago, the city, and its support and love for us.”
A reporter followed up by asking about what the season meant to him personally and how fans have embraced him as their quarterback.
The reporter asked, “It’s not hard to see the impact that this team had on the city, but for you specifically, what has it meant? Like last year, this year, I mean, you have fans, like doing the bear claw. There’s a matcha drink being sold at Soldier Field. There are people who are painting their nails now because you do it. Do you take a sense of pride with all of those things now and being able to be a figurehead for sports in this city, for fans to follow?”
Williams replied candidly, saying, “Yeah, that was part of the reason why I said I can do it here. To bring life, to bring joy, to bring excitement to being a Chicago Bears fan. To be able to cheer for us. So I do take pride in it,” Williams answered.
“It’s really cool, honestly, to be able to have those small things like that. Just being able to have the city behind you. And I mean, you lose that game, and you’re walking out of the game, and the fans stand up and cheer and roar in a tough moment. It goes a long way.”
Williams’s appreciation for everything the 2025 season brought was evident, but now, as the team gears up for next season, they will have to put it behind them.
Ben Johnson Is Moving on From the 2025 Season
GettyBen Johnson is one of five finalists for the Associated Press 2025 NFL Coach of the Year award.
Ben Johnson met with the media on January 21st and was very thankful of the team.
“I can’t say enough good things about this particular group of coaches, of players, of support staff,” Johnson said. “I’ll forever be grateful for what they were able to do this season. But we’re one of the 31 other teams that fell short. If anything that just rejuvinates me and makes me want to push harder and longer than what we did this past season. So, I’m already looking ahead to 2026 myself. With that being said, I’m really excited about seeing this city, this fan base come to life.”
Johnson was adamant that while he was proud of the team for what they accomplished in 2025, it holds no weight in 2026.
When asked about his confidence in the team to build off of 2025, Johnson answered bluntly stating, “There is no building off of this. We go back to square one. We are back at the bottom again and that’s really all 32 teams. If you feel otherwise, you’re probably missing the big picture.”
Johnson expressed urgency that the team needs to start from scratch and start by focusing on the fundamentals and improving. Johnson has been the leader the franchise needed, as his perspective, humility, and honesty are all staples of what has endeared him to Chicago so far.
While Johnson refuses to use 2025 as a building block, it was a step in the right direction and Bears fans should be excited about what the futureholds for the team.
Caleb Williams Gives Emotionally Honest Response to Fans