NFC NORTH

The Bears’ Most Anticipated Season in a Generation Kicks Off in Carolina

The spring of 2023 was a wild time in Bears fandom. Chicago owned the No. 1 overall pick, Justin Fields was still the quarterback, and the franchise sat at a crossroads. Then GM Ryan Poles made his move , shipping that top selection to Carolina for DJ Moore, the No. 9 pick, a 2024 first-rounder, and a 2025 second-rounder. It felt huge on March 10, 2023. In hindsight, it might be the most consequential trade in franchise history. By a stroke of luck, that Carolina first-rounder became the No. 1 pick after the 2023 season, setting up the great debate of the modern era: Caleb Williams vs. “The Haul.” Some fans wanted Poles to trade the pick again, keep Fields, and build around him. Poles went the other way, taking Williams and sending Fields to Pittsburgh. Now, years later, Chicago returns to Carolina, where it all started, opening its most anticipated season in a generation on the heels of an NFC North title. The Other Move That Changed Everything for the Bears Of course, Ben Johnson’s hiring in January 2025 was just as important as the trade that eventually parlayed into Williams. Johnson has become the architect of the Chicago Bears. Not just the offense, and not the pocket-protector-wearing nerd some tried to reduce him to during the hiring cycle. Bears fans who watched this franchise get it wrong their whole lives wanted the safe hire, a “leader of men” type, over another “flavor of the week” offensive guru. Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images The hesitation was valid, even though the argument was flawed. The Bears have seldom gotten these decisions right in most of our lifetimes. But this time they did. Johnson is no nerdy offensive-first head coach. He’s a feverish commander of details and standards, and he’s authored an environment inside Halas Hall that has the Chi…

Sep 11, 2026, 1:56 PM CT1 sourcesBLEACHER NATION

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