Coming off one of the best seasons the franchise has had in over a decade, the Chicago Bears are hoping to ride the wave of momentum into the 2026 season.
On paper, they have all the talent in the world to get it done again, but there is always a doomsday scenario that everyone has to prepare for. CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan shares what could be the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Bears in 2026.
Best-case: After going 11-6 and winning the NFC North last season, Chicago builds on that success in Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era. Caleb Williams emerges as a legitimate MVP candidate, wins double-digit games once again and leads the Bears to consecutive division titles for the first time since 2005 and 2006.Â
Worst-case: The breakout 2025 campaign proves to be more flash than substance, with Chicago falling behind the Lions and Packers in the NFC North race. That results in the Bears missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.
Bears fans hear what the best and worst case scenarios are for 2026
At minimum, Bears fans expect Williams to have a breakout 2026 season that truly shows how great he is, no matter how the season goes. He has already shown all the skills to be one of the top players, and 2026 could be his chance to further prove it.
Where the hold-up could be for the Bears is on defense, which could make or break the season. The secondart has gone through some major changes with four starters gone from last year, and the pass rush did not improve at all in the offseason.
It also does not help the Bears at all that they have the NFL's toughest schedule in 2026. Many experts expect the Bears to struggle because of it and win about nine games this upcoming season since they are in a tough NFC North division.
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The outcome of the season is up in the air as all Bears fans still believe that this team is a Super Bowl contender, no matter how their record finishes. They can only hope that the best-case scenario works out and the other just gets buried.
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