It's a great time to be a Chicago Bears fan. At least, it feels different this time, doesn't it?
Sure, Bears fans have been optimistic in the past, but nothing quite compares to the vibe that's around this team, this time.
Perhaps it's the Ben Johnson effect. The Bears have never, ever had a head coach who's brought so much juice and energy to the team as Johnson, whose play-calling expertise has Bears fans dreaming of their first-ever 4,000-yard passer.
Maybe it's Caleb Williams, the guy who can be the guy who throws for 4,000 yards.
Maybe it's the cast of skill players -- DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet -- who have fans at the edge of their seats.
Defenders like Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson? They'll do their part, too.
No matter the reason, the Chicago Bears were recently ranked as one of the eight most interesting teams in the NFL in 2025, checking in at No. 7.
"The Caleb Williams-Ben Johnson combination makes the Bears a big draw in a tough NFC North in 2025, especially considering that Chicago has entirely retooled its offensive line and already has young weapons (Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland) as well as tons of defensive talent," Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon wrote. "This developing and reshaped team will get a baptism by fire with the Vikings, Lions and Cowboys right out of the gate in September. How it handles that stretch could dictate how relevant the Bears are for the remainder of 2025."
Intriguing is one thing; actually winning games is another. Whether Johnson can get the Bears off the ground in 2025 or needs another year for his system to take hold is something we'll learn early in the year. But, for now, Chicago can enjoy a rare level of excitement that's building around a Bears team that finally has legitimate playoff upside this fall.
