---
slug: "chicago-bears"
title: Chicago Bears
depth_tier: program
side: UNIVERSAL
category: Teams
source_id: "NFL-0021"
created: 2026-05-12
updated: 2026-05-13
canonical: https://learningfootball.xyz/programs/chicago-bears
aliases:
  - Chicago Bears
  - Da Bears
  - Bears football
  - the Monsters of the Midway
sameAs:
  - "https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/chi/chicago-bears"
  - Q205033
  - "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Bears"
  - "https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/index.htm"
---
# Chicago Bears

## Short Definition

NFC North NFL franchise founded in 1920—one of the NFL's two original franchises, with championships from the leather helmet era through the modern game.

## Definition

The Chicago Bears are an NFL franchise in the NFC North division, playing home games at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys—one of the NFL's two original surviving franchises alongside the Cardinals—the Bears are professional football's most storied franchise by longevity, producing multiple NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era under owner-coach George Halas.

The 1985 Bears are among the most celebrated teams in football history. A defense anchored by Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, and Dan Hampton, combined with Walter Payton's running and Jim McMahon's quarterbacking, produced a dominant run that culminated in Super Bowl XX—a 46-10 victory over the Patriots that remains one of the most lopsided championship wins in NFL history. The "Super Bowl Shuffle," recorded before the season ended, became one of professional sports' most memorable expressions of confidence.

Chicago's football identity is built around defense, physicality, and tradition. Soldier Field's lakefront location and winter weather have shaped the franchise's competitive identity—the Bears at home in January cold is an environment that has historically favored the home team's physical style.

The franchise's post-1985 history has included competitive cycles and sustained rebuilding periods, with the city's deep football culture maintaining fan engagement through lean years. The Bears represent one of professional sports' most enduring civic relationships, with football in Chicago carrying cultural weight that extends from George Halas's founding through every subsequent era.

## Example

"46-10 in the Super Bowl. The '85 Bears didn't just win—they dismantled teams. That defense is still the standard against which every dominant defensive unit gets measured forty years later."

## Common Confusion

The Bears are one of two NFL franchises with continuous operation from the league's 1920 founding—the other being the Arizona Cardinals. Their single Super Bowl title (Super Bowl XX in 1986) understates a championship history that spans the pre-Super Bowl era, when Chicago won multiple NFL titles. The 1985 Bears are widely considered one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

## Related

- soldier-field
- super-bowl-sunday
- lombardi-trophy
- nfl-films
- hall-of-fame

---
Source: https://learningfootball.xyz/programs/chicago-bears