The NFL seems to believe that Ben Johnson's arrival as the head coach of the Chicago Bears will mean that the team is playing meaningful games during the closing months of the regular season.
With the NFL regular season schedule set to be revealed on Wednesday, networks have been given permission to release their primetime games early. That would be the reason why we already know that the Bears will be hosting the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on December 20.
Thanks to Amazon Prime, we now know another primetime affair for the Bears. The Bears will be traveling to Philadelphia the day after Thanksgiving to take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday.
Black Friday Football runs through Philly 😤
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) May 12, 2025
Bears. Eagles. Only on Prime. pic.twitter.com/rWqRUml187
The Bears look to change the stigma that is Black Friday for the organization
Entering the week, there was some speculation that the Bears may play the Eagles on the lid lifter of the NFL season in September. Instead, that will be the Dallas Cowboys. But, with a primetime game against the Eagles to close out November, the NFL is daring Johnson to prove the Bears right with their head coach choice this offseason.
Of course, Black Friday is already an infamous day in Bears' history. It was on Black Friday last season that the Bears made the decision to fire Matt Eberflus. Fast forward to this season, Black Friday could serve as the true coming out party for Johnson's Bears. A victory against the defending Super Bowl champions would all but confirm that the Bears would be headed in the right direction under Johnson.
When the Cowboys were revealed as the opponent for the Eagles on the opening night of the season, we referenced how that could be taken as a sign that the NFL believes the Bears weren't ready. Now knowing the Bears have at least two primetime games during the closing weeks of the season, the NFL seems clearly to think that Johnson's arrival will lead to immediate success for the Bears.