The Chicago Bears have clinched the NFC North for the first time in seven years, officially returning to the top of the division after Green Bay’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.
The Packers’ defeat eliminated their path to catching Chicago, securing the Bears’ first division crown since 2018.
The Bears looks to avenge the 'double doink' game
That 2018 season is still remembered for its heartbreaking finish, when Chicago’s playoff run ended in the wild-card round on Cody Parkey’s infamous “double doink” missed field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles. That division title itself ended an eight-year drought, and it remains the Bears’ most recent postseason appearance.
In fact, Chicago hasn’t won a playoff game since 2010, when it defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round before falling to Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game. The franchise’s last Super Bowl appearance came in the 2006 season, a loss to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Chicago has one Lombardi Trophy — the iconic 1985 Bears.
Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams lead Bears to playoffs
This year’s turnaround has been swift and dramatic. In his first season as head coach, Ben Johnson has led the Bears from the division basement to contender status, while forming a strong partnership with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
Chicago entered Week 17 knowing it could only lose the division by going winless over its final two games while Green Bay won out — a scenario that never materialized.
At 11-4, the Bears are still in the hunt for the NFC’s top seed. They currently sit second behind the Seattle Seahawks (12-3), with NBC Sports giving Chicago a 13% chance to claim the No. 1 spot.
That race continues Sunday night, when the Bears play the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers in a matchup with major playoff implications.