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The Chicago Bears delivered a cinematic 2025 season in Year 1 of the Ben Johnson era, which came with an NFC North title and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. Their 2026 regular season schedule, which was released Thursday, shows the Bears could be facing an uphill battle to repeat that, playing 12 games against teams that had a winning record or made the playoffs in 2025.
However, for FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd, the Bears’ schedule is not the toughest in the league.
“I’m told the toughest schedule in the NFL is the Chicago Bears. I don’t see it. The Bears don’t play a team on a bye. Not once. Second, look at the games leading up to their toughest games. There will be a game before or after where they’ll be a heavy favorite,” Cowherd said on Friday’s edition of “The Herd.”
To Cowherd’s point, the Bears host the New York Jets in Week 4 before playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 5. They face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 before facing the New England Patriots in Week 7. They face the Seattle Seahawks the following week, but their Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills follows a Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins.
Still, the Bears are ready to take on some tough challenges in 2026. They tried to get ahead of that in the offseason, adding safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency to make up for some losses they had on defense. They also added highly touted Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with their first-round pick.
The defensive additions come after the emergence of Caleb Williams as a star quarterback in Year 2. While Williams lost receiver DJ Moore this offseason, tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III showed promise as rookies last season.
To start with Chicago, the Bears open the season on the road against the Carolina Panthers and then have three straight home games against the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and the Jets. And although that aforementioned game against the Seahawks is after a matchup against the Patriots, Chicago hosts New England on Thursday night. Then, the Bears will face the Seahawks on an extended break.
For Cowherd, the extra rest between games and back-to-back home-field advantages make the schedule easier than some suggest.
“I mean in the first month alone they have three home games,” Cowherd said. “That’s a good start. Their toughest game is the game in Seattle against the Seahawks. But they even have a bye there. They have extra rest Thursday through Monday. The NFL wants a Chicago Bears team that’s in the news. It’s not a challenge.”
