Even though the Chicago Bears will be watching Super Bowl LX from home like 30 other NFL teams, the 2025 season was an absolute success for the charter franchise.
With the addition of first-year head coach Ben Johnson and his coaching staff, upgrades on the offensive line, and an opportunistic defense that led the league in takeaways, the Bears won the NFC North on the way to 11 victories and defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round.
The reason there is optimism heading into next season is how the offense performed, specifically with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. His command of the offense and ability to distribute the football to all his pass catchers create excitement for Year 2 in Johnson's scheme.
The Bears had four pass catchers with at least 650 receiving yards, and the team was led by rookie tight end Colston Loveland's 713 yards. And with a revamped interior offensive line and an All-Pro performance from Darnell Wright at right tackle, Chicago finished No. 3 in rushing (2,456 yards).
Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon evaluated the seasons for 30 NFL teams and provided a letter grade. The evaluators assigned grades based on “win-loss records, statistical rankings, progression, and regression trends, while taking injuries and schedules into account. These assessments mostly reflect the regular season, but in some cases, playoff results were a huge factor as well.”
With the criteria set, here is the Bears' season grade.
Chicago Bears (11-6): A
“This campaign really couldn't have gone much better for the Bears, who look as though they have their coach and their quarterback and plenty of support for both. The defense had some hiccups but is on the right trajectory after leading the league with 33 takeaways as Chicago fell just short of the NFC title game.”
That first sentence highlights the most important detail about the Bears’ 2025 season. The Bears have their guys at coach and quarterback. For so long, those positions have been influx and rotating for the Bears' organization.
There is finally stability and room to grow for Johnson and Williams. That should have Bears fans excited for what is to come.
Defensively, there are legitimate questions about the defensive line and the Bears’ inability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. The team finished 25th overall in quarterback pressures last season, according to Next Gen Stats.
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General manager Ryan Poles needs to continue adding disruptive players on the defensive line, and that should have a trickle-down effect for everyone on defense.
The Bears easily deserved an A grade, which sets the bar high for the 2026 season.