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.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo blasted the NCAA and the current state of college basketball in the wake of Baylor signing former professional player James Nnaji, who was selected with the No. 31 pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

“Shame on the NCAA. Shame on the coaches, too,” Izzo told reporters on Saturday. “But shame on the NCAA, because coaches are going to do what they’ve got to do, I guess. But the NCAA’s the one—those people in those committees that are making those decisions to allow something so ridiculous, and not think of the kid.”

Nnaji, 21, is available to play immediately and has four years of eligibility. The Nigerian center has never played an official NBA or G League game, only a handful of Summer League games with the Hornets. He continued to play professionally in Europe after he was drafted.

Earlier this month, former European professional players Toni Bilić (Illinois) and Lucas Langarita (Utah) also joined college teams.

“What we’ve done in the NCAA has been an absolute travesty to me,” Izzo said. “We’re just worried about getting sued and we’re not gonna fight anybody. And I think leadership means you fight and you make decisions that are sometimes unpopular.”

Izzo, 70, has led Michigan State to eight Final Four appearances since taking over the program in 1995, including winning the national championship in 2000. 

The legendary coach’s frustration includes the job NCAA president Charlie Baker is doing. “I’m not going to tell you that this president, to me, is doing anything but running from leadership,” Izzo said.

Finally, Izzo said he would like to “poll 360 of the coaches, and see how many are in favor of what’s going on” in college basketball.

Michigan State is 11–1 this season, tied for first place in the Big Ten, and ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 poll.

Bryson DeChambeau is leaving the door open regarding his future at LIV Golf after Brooks Koepka decided to leave the league with one year left on his contract.

Like Koepka, DeChambeau’s deal expires after the 2026 season, and LIV’s most popular star won’t guarantee that he’ll be signing an extension. 

“It’s confidential. I’m not going to share too much, but the conversations are in process,” DeChambeau told social media outlet Flushing It Golf. “We have to get to a place where both parties have a good understanding of one another. It is getting to a place that makes sense for both sides. And, I think that can happen, but you never know. Life throws curve balls.”

In June at the U.S. Open, DeChambeau said that he and LIV were “looking to negotiate [at the] end of this year, and I’m very excited. They see the value in me. I see the value in what they can provide, and I believe we’ll come to some sort of resolution on that.”

However, DeChambeau called Koepka’s departure a “shock” and said it “definitely throws in some unique things” to his own contract negotiations, which he isn’t sure will get done before LIV’s 2026 season opener in February. 

“It’s where I want to be, but ultimately, it’s got to make sense for everybody,” DeChambeau said. “Because I could just do YouTube golf and be totally fine as well.” DeChambeau, 32, has 2.55 million subscribers on YouTube, where he consistently posts videos with golf influencers and other professional athletes.

While DeChambeau said things at LIV “have got to change” and “improve,” he also thinks new CEO Scott O’Neil has “done a fabulous job” since replacing Greg Norman in January.

Still, DeChambeau seems to want a stronger voice at LIV moving forward. “I don’t run this thing at all,” he said. “I don’t really have much say, to be honest with you. Which is funny, but it is what it is. And I sometimes wish I had more say, but that’s life and I don’t run the organization.”

DeChambeau is captain of the Crushers GC team at LIV, and said the team’s revenue this year was above $20 million. DeChambeau is among the LIV team captains who own 25% of their franchises.

So, what’s next for DeChambeau? “We’ll see what the year has in store for us,” he said.