 }})
Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors
Guest
The Chicago Bears officially released their full 17-game schedule for the 2025 season on Wednesday night and it features some tough stretches for first-year head coach Ben Johnson.
There are several prime-time games, an early bye week, and a mid-season stretch that will give a sign for this team's contender status throughout the year.
Here at Bears Wire, we've gone through the schedule and put together everything the fans need to know about the Bears' 2025 slate, from the first opponent, all the way to the regular-season finale.
Here's what to know about the schedule:
First reported by NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Bears will begin their season in a divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. This will be Johnson's head coaching debut after spending the last three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. It will also be the third straight year in which the Bears meet the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
The Bears will get their bye week in Week 5, meaning they'll have a long stretch to finish out the season. Chicago will have already have played two divisional games (Vikings and Lions), two home games, and two road games before their bye week.
Once again, the Bears are no stranger to the prime-time slot, and it begins right away in Week 1 against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. They'll also have their rematch against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football on October 13th, a meeting with the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, and a standalone game vs. the Green Bay Packers on December 20th.
Finally, Chicago will travel west to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, giving them five total games in the prime time/standalone spotlight.
The Bears won't be traveling as far as they did during the 2024 season. Chicago will travel the fifth-fewest miles of any team in the NFL this season. They have two big road trips, the first in Week 8 and Week 9 in the AFC North as they face the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. Chicago will also travel to Philadelphia and Green Bay back-to-back in Week 11 and Week 12.
The NFL will find out what the Bears are made of during a particularly tough stretch of five games in the second half of the season. Starting in Week 8, they'll face the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Green Bay Packers with four of those five games coming on the road. That five-game stretch very well could make or break the Bears' season.
After facing them in Week 2 on the road, the Bears will not see the Detroit Lions until the final week of the regular season. Johnson will have a chance to put an exclamation point on his first season as Bears head coach, with potential playoff implications at stake. The rivalry between Detroit and Chicago will be much greater than in recent memory, and Johnson will have an opportunity to close the regular season out with a statement against his former team.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Everything to know about the Bears' 2025 schedule
Continue reading...
There are several prime-time games, an early bye week, and a mid-season stretch that will give a sign for this team's contender status throughout the year.
Here at Bears Wire, we've gone through the schedule and put together everything the fans need to know about the Bears' 2025 slate, from the first opponent, all the way to the regular-season finale.
Here's what to know about the schedule:
Who is the Week 1 opponent?
First reported by NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Bears will begin their season in a divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. This will be Johnson's head coaching debut after spending the last three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. It will also be the third straight year in which the Bears meet the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
When is the bye week?
The Bears will get their bye week in Week 5, meaning they'll have a long stretch to finish out the season. Chicago will have already have played two divisional games (Vikings and Lions), two home games, and two road games before their bye week.
When are the prime-time games?
Once again, the Bears are no stranger to the prime-time slot, and it begins right away in Week 1 against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. They'll also have their rematch against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football on October 13th, a meeting with the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, and a standalone game vs. the Green Bay Packers on December 20th.
Finally, Chicago will travel west to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, giving them five total games in the prime time/standalone spotlight.
Any long road trips?
The Bears won't be traveling as far as they did during the 2024 season. Chicago will travel the fifth-fewest miles of any team in the NFL this season. They have two big road trips, the first in Week 8 and Week 9 in the AFC North as they face the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. Chicago will also travel to Philadelphia and Green Bay back-to-back in Week 11 and Week 12.
Any particularly tough stretches?
The NFL will find out what the Bears are made of during a particularly tough stretch of five games in the second half of the season. Starting in Week 8, they'll face the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Green Bay Packers with four of those five games coming on the road. That five-game stretch very well could make or break the Bears' season.
Who is the Week 18 opponent?
After facing them in Week 2 on the road, the Bears will not see the Detroit Lions until the final week of the regular season. Johnson will have a chance to put an exclamation point on his first season as Bears head coach, with potential playoff implications at stake. The rivalry between Detroit and Chicago will be much greater than in recent memory, and Johnson will have an opportunity to close the regular season out with a statement against his former team.
What else is there to know?
- Chicago will have the earliest bye week possible in Week 5
- The Bears are tied for the second-hardest strength of schedule (.571) and will face five different playoff teams from the 2024 season.
- Chicago's over/under win total has been set at 8.5 for this season and their odds to win the NFC North division are (+425) according to Draft Kings
- The Bears will open as -1.5 favorites in their Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Everything to know about the Bears' 2025 schedule
Continue reading...