CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears' 2026 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate on Thursday.
Last season, Chicago captured the NFC North for the first time since 2018 courtesy of an 11-win season, including seven one-score wins. It followed with its first playoff win in 15 years.
The NFL is trying to capitalize on the Bears' momentum by putting them in seven standalone windows, including three straight weeks in which they'll appear on "Thursday Night Football" (Week 7 vs. Patriots), "Monday Night Football" (Week 8 at Seahawks) and "Sunday Night Football" (Week 9 vs. Buccaneers).
It won't be easy for the Bears to replicate their success. Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era features the NFL's hardest strength of schedule (the Bears' opponents had a combined .550 win percentage last year).
Here's what's in store for the Bears:
Bears 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 at Carolina Panthers
Week 2: Sept. 20 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 3: Sept. 28 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (MNF)
Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. New York Jets
Week 5: Oct. 11 at Green Bay Packers
Week 6: Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 7: Oct. 22 vs. New England Patriots (TNF)
Week 8: Nov. 2 at Seattle Seahawks (MNF)
Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SNF)
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 12: Nov. 26 at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)
Week 13: Dec. 6 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 14: Dec. 13 at Miami Dolphins
Week 15: Dec. 20 at Buffalo Bills (Primetime)
Week 16: Dec. 25 vs. Green Bay Packers (Christmas)
Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 18: Jan 10 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Strength of schedule: The Bears have the hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .550 winning percentage in 2025).
DraftKings over/under win total: 9.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay's projected win total: 9.3
Biggest takeaway
The Bears are back to being primetime darlings. The NFL clearly believes in the intrigue around this team, as evidenced by Chicago being placed in seven standalone windows.
The marketability of star quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Jalen Hurts sets the table for a Week 3 visit from the Eagles on MNF. The Bears have a stretch of three straight primetime games in Weeks 7-9 against last season's Super Bowl participants, New England and Seattle, respectively, followed by Tampa Bay at home.
Chicago's meeting with the Bills will be in a standalone window, and the Bears will also play in front of nationally televised audiences on Thanksgiving (at Detroit) and Christmas (home vs. Green Bay).
Circle these dates
Chicago has the third-best odds (+320) to win the NFC North, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Weeks 16-18, when the Bears have the Packers and Lions at home on Dec. 25 and Jan. 3, followed by their final game of the season on the road against the Vikings on Jan. 10, might very well decide whether the Bears can win back-to-back division tiles.
Last season, the Bears went 2-4 against the NFC North and eked out close wins at Minnesota and in overtime at Soldier Field against Green Bay.
Bold prediction
Three of the Bears' first four games will be at home, including Week 4 vs. the Jets, which will allow the revamped offensive line to gel without having to worry about things that come with playing in hostile road environments, such as the silent count.
Look for Chicago to be 3-1 by the time it faces the Packers in Week 5 and 2-0 in division games before its Week 10 bye (wins over Minnesota and Green Bay).
Starting faster in games is a priority for Chicago's offense, and the benefit of getting to mesh new pieces of the offense in front of home crowds will provide the Bears the hot start they're seeking.
When can fans expect to see rookie center Logan Jones starting?
Jones will be starting by Week 11. Teams don't use a second-round pick on a center if they don't expect him to contribute early. The Bears drafted the Iowa product with the 57th pick and have made high remarks about his readiness to play.
"My visit with him when he was here, I was extremely impressed by his football knowledge, makeup; very mature and, to me, it's not, 'We're getting a rookie,' we're getting a guy that's a little bit more of a seasoned player, which really is not uncommon for those Iowa linemen," Johnson said.
The Bears are likely to start Garrett Bradbury until Jones is ready to take over, but much like Ozzy Trapilo becoming Chicago's starting left tackle in Week 12 as a rookie last season, the Bears have demonstrated that they are not afraid to make the move once a rookie offensive lineman shows he's ready for a starting job.
