While the Bears continue to struggle off the field with the search for a location to build a new domed stadium, the franchise’s prospects keep trending upward on the field this season.
Chicago clinched the NFC North division title—its first since 2018—after the Packers lost to the Ravens on Saturday night.
The division championship comes after the Bears paid up big time to land head coach Ben Johnson this past offseason. Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator who was the No. 1 target of most teams during the most recent hiring cycle, signed a five-year contract reported to be worth roughly $65 million—an annual salary of $13 million.
Johnson, 39, was highly sought after by the Bears, hoping his offensive prowess would help quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, after a disappointing rookie season in which the team went 5–12.
Chicago’s return to the playoffs comes as the franchise’s effort to build a new stadium is going so poorly that it has expanded its search for the right site to Indiana. The Bears are seeking $855 million in public funding, targeted toward infrastructure, for a project set to cost at least $5 billion.
As champions of the NFC North, the Bears will host at least one playoff game at Soldier Field.
Mile High Magic
The Broncos clinched the AFC West—capping a successful season on and off the field—after the Chargers lost to the Texans on Saturday night, becoming the first team other than the Chiefs to win the division since 2015.
Like the Bears, Denver is also pursuing a new stadium, albeit with far less friction than the situation in Chicago.
Backed by the richest ownership group in the NFL, the Broncos in September announced plans to build a privately financed, multibillion-dollar retractable roof stadium in downtown Denver, with a targeted completion date of 2031. A new stadium would complement a new $175 million training facility, also privately financed, that is under construction and on pace to open ahead of the 2026 season.
