The Chicago Bears have a wonderful fan base filled with passion. Fans do not just love the Bears; they live and die with the Bears. This historic franchise has not been as good in the win column as of late, but it still has plenty of Hall of Fame talent that has blessed the fandom over the years. One of the most recent to join that group is Devin Hester.
Hester has teamed up with The Athletic to bring some new excitement to NFL fans. Fans of all 32 NFL teams will be able to test their knowledge by playing team-specific Connections: Sports Edition puzzles. These puzzles test fans on their respective team’s history, iconic players, and defining moments, all for the chance to not only prove their encyclopedic knowledge of their local team, but also the opportunity to design a Connections: Sports Edition puzzle of their own to be released nationally later this season
I was lucky enough to connect with Hester about this experience. Hester is excited to be a part of the new daily game and believes that Chicago Bears fans have enough passion and what it takes to set themselves apart from other NFL fans.
Hester talked about how the history in Chicago, from players to coaches, sets the franchise apart from other teams he played on. He also loved how, no matter what, it always seemed like the fans truly wanted the players to succeed. Now, he's hoping that Bears fans can succeed at this new puzzle game.
For the first time, each football team will have its own dedicated Connections: Sports Edition puzzle. Each puzzle will be available throughout September. Each day, you get four attempts to solve one. Additionally, between September 2 and September 14, football fans can solve their team’s puzzle and upload their completed entry. One fan will be randomly selected to collaborate with The Athletic to create a Connections: Sports Edition puzzle of their own, to be published later this season.
Hester made it known that fans will need to know their true history of this franchise if they plan on solving the puzzle. It won't likely be easy for many of the younger generation who tend to scroll through TikTok and YouTube Shorts. They will likely need to know players and/or coaches dating back at least 60 years.
Devin Hester on the upcoming Chicago Bears season and kickoff rules
While speaking with Hester, I asked him what he is most excited about regarding the Bears' upcoming 2025 season. He brought up Ben Johnson and how he is hoping to see an offense in Chicago similar to what we have seen from Johnson's time up in Detroit. He likes how Johnson spreads the ball around and creates space for players to not only catch the ball, but also gain yards after the catch. This is something we haven't seen enough of here in Chicago.
I also wanted to gain Hester's insight into the more recent rules changes regarding the kickoff return game. He does not expect to see another player dominate the return game in the same fashion that he did throughout his career. I'd have to agree with him on that one. He also thinks that he would have still been as successful with the new kickoff rules. He brought up how most of his return touchdowns came on punt returns, and the new rules make kickoffs more similar to a punt. It's a shame we will never get to see how he would have handled it.
Hester and I discussed the NFL in general. The one storyline he is keeping a close eye on is how the Detroit Lions are going to handle losing both their offensive and defensive coordinators. He expects the Lions to take a step back from their success over the last two seasons. Also, after pressuring him for a prediction, he sees the Chicago Bears finishing second in the division. Not bad! Let's hope that includes a playoff berth!
Read more: Devin Hester gave back to troops with Bears in the best way possible
What do you think? Could Hester still dominate in the return game with today's rules? Do you agree with him about how the Bears will finish within the division this season? Finally, are you ready to put your knowledge to the test and show the rest of the NFL why Bears fans are truly the best?