Chicago Bears schedule: Games, dates, TV channels, predictions for 2026 season
Jacob CamenkerBen Johnson's first season with the Chicago Bears went just about as well as Chicago fans could have hoped.
After an 0-2 start to the season, the Bears finished the season on a tear, going 11-6 and winning the NFC North for the first time since the 2018 NFL playoffs. Chicago also earned its first playoff win since the 2010 NFL postseason after overcoming an 18-point deficit against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round.
The Bears' playoff run came to an end in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but it gave optimism that Chicago isn't far off from being a Super Bowl contender.
Could 2026 be the year the Bears are able to play for a championship for the first time since Super Bowl 41? It may depend on how they can handle their difficult-looking schedule, which ranks as the NFL's sixth-hardest, according to Sharp Football Analysis.
Here's what to know about Chicago's schedule for the 2026 NFL season.
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Chicago Bears schedule 2026
This section will be updated when the NFL schedule is released on May 14:
- Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC ("Monday Night Football")
- Week 4: vs. New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 5: at Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 7: vs. New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video ("Thursday Night Football")
- Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
- Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m., NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11: vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 12: at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Thanksgiving)
- Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 14: at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
- Week 15: at Buffalo Bills, 8:20 p.m. ET, CBS (Saturday)
- Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET, Netflix (Christmas)
- Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
- Week 18: at Minnesota Vikings, TBD
Bears record prediction 2026
Record prediction: 10-7
The Bears should remain a playoff contender, but they are navigating some key changes that could cap their ceiling.
Offensively, the Bears will need to replace two key starters from 2025, wide receiver DJ Moore and center Drew Dalman. Chicago also lost offensive coordinator Declan Doyle – who was hired to be the Ravens' offensive play-caller – and will be replacing him with Press Taylor.
Johnson still figures to call plays for the Bears, which should aid the transition to Taylor. And if Caleb Williams can take another big step forward after finishing just 58 yards shy of becoming Chicago's first-ever 4,000-yard passer, that could raise the Bears' ceiling.
However, Chicago's schedule is particularly brutal, as the Bears will play a first-place schedule that includes road games against the Bills, Seahawks and all of their NFC North foes. Their home schedule is slightly more manageable thanks to games against the Jets and Saints, but the Bears are going to have to scrap hard to get to double-digit wins for a second consecutive season.
Bears home opponents 2026
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bears away opponents 2026
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Miami Dolphins
- Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl 61 odds
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