Bears slapped with scary reality check that could make their lives difficult

The Chicago Bears were not expected to be Super Bowl contenders last season, but they went on to win 11 games, capture the NFC North division title and defeat the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

No, the Bears didn’t reach the Super Bowl, but it was definitely an impressive campaign, and it was one that most did not anticipate.

There is no question that Chicago was an incredibly talented team in 2025, but another reason why Ben Johnson’s club was able to be so successful is because opposing squads simply were not ready for the Bears yet.

Things are certainly different now, as Chicago has established itself as a legitimate contender and has a rising star under center in Caleb Williams. Teams will absolutely be taking the Bears seriously next fall, and it could cause complications for Chicago.

David Haugh of 104.3 The Score made this very clear during a recent broadcast.

The Chicago Bears could be in for a rude awakening

While the Bears were hunters last season, Haugh feels that Chicago will now be the hunted in 2026.

“The Bears might as well do an alternate home jersey. One with a big target on their back, because everybody is going to be aiming for them,” Haugh said. “They have positioned themselves well in the division as a team that people want to beat, that is easy to dislike. As easy as they are for the Bears’ fans to embrace and to like … the rest of the league is probably like ‘Dude, shut up. We’re tired of you already.’”

Chicago has the most difficult schedule in the NFL next season, so if Williams and Co. aren’t careful, they could get off to a rough start that would ultimately upend their chances of making a deep playoff run.

The Bears’ 2025 showing was certainly noteworthy, but they are still a largely inexperienced team overall. They will likely experience true adversity in 2026, and it will be interesting to see how they respond.

Chicago is talented enough where it should still be able to rise above those challenges regardless, but it also plays in what is probably the most loaded division in the NFL. The Packers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will all have opportunities to win the NFC North, and the Bears will simply have to find a way.

Johnson has also done a fine job of making Chicago unlikeable across the league, so hopefully, he and the Bears are prepared for what’s coming.

The post Bears slapped with scary reality check that could make their lives difficult appeared first on ChiCitySports.