The Chicago Bears reshaped expectations following a 2025 season that finally seemed to get it right. After years of instability because of poor coaching hires and failed first-round quarterbacks, Chicago finally looked like a franchise with answers instead of questions.
It’s why Bleacher Report’s strong grade for the Bears’ 2025 campaign is spot on.
Ben Johnson earned an A.
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson looks on during warmups. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
“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,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon wrote. “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.”
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It’s a well-deserved A, isn’t it? For the first time in a long time, the Bears finished an NFL season without that feeling of dread. You know the one; when searching for a new head coach or trying to find an answer at quarterback haunted the offseason months.
Instead, the Bears are the defending NFC North champions, a wild-card playoff winner, and were so close to earning a trip to the NFC Championship.
That combination of a legitimate head coach and quarterback can’t be overstated. It’s the kind of stability that Bears Nation is not used to. And it’s that kind of stability that changes everything.
With the two most important pieces of a Super Bowl contender in place, the Bears can have a more focused offseason priority list, ranging from draft philosophy to how aggressive they should be in free agency.
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles on the field before the game. David Banks-Imagn Images. | David Banks-Imagn Images
Chicago Bears entering a focused, Super Bowl-driven offseason
Teams without this kind of foundation chase fixes. Chicago Bears fans are all too accustomed to that.
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Indeed, the defensive “hiccups” are real, and it’s expected that Poles will prioritize that side of the ball in the NFL Draft and free agency. That said, coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit does deserve credit for leading the NFL in takeaways. If the Bears add a few more pieces this offseason, look out.
Remember: The Chicago Bears weren’t supposed to be here. At least, not yet. The roster is still young, and there’s room to grow (on offense, too). It’s why the 2025 season feels like a launching point for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams; the Bears are nowhere close to their peak yet.
Season grades don’t win Super Bowls. But it’s nice for the Bears’ 2025 season to be validated.
As far as the rest of the NFL? Only the Patriots and Seahawks earned higher grades (A+), and, well, they’re off to the Super Bowl. The only other two A teams were the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams.
Great company, indeed.
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