The Chicago Bears' 2025 schedule is set to be released soon. Around this time, leaks inevitably start coming out. Sure enough, the first surfaced on Monday afternoon. In a surprising twist, it is a late-season matchup. Here is a tracker for every game that releases.
Chicago Bears 2025 schedule will be challenging.
Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings (MNF)
The NFL is starting things off with tons of intrigue. Ben Johnson on primetime in his first-ever game as head coach. Caleb Williams vs. J.J. McCarthy in a showdown of former 1st round picks from 2024. In a division loaded with good teams, this will be a crucially important game right out of the gate.
Week 2: at Detroit Lions
Starting the season with back-to-back division games feels like something that doesn't happen often. Most of the time, the NFL saves those games for the second half. Still, this is a great opportunity for Chicago. They are in a hugely advantageous position if they can get out of this stretch 2-0.
Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Matt Eberflus revenge game. Of course, it will depend on which side feels they deserve revenge more. Eberflus, who now runs the Dallas defense, likely feels wronged for not getting enough support in Chicago. Meanwhile, Bears fans likely feel he shouldn't have been a head coach to begin with.
Week 4: at Las Vegas Raiders
This might be one of the most interesting matchups of the season. Both teams were bad last year. Both look like they've upgraded a lot during the spring, especially at head coach. Pete Carroll will have that Raiders team playing better football. Still, the Bears have already proven they can shut down Geno Smith.
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: at Washington Commanders (MNF)
The Bears will return to the scene of one of the greatest heartbreaks in franchise history. That Hail Mary in Washington last year completely torpedoed their season and led to everybody getting fired. Now they'll have a chance at redemption with what, on paper, is a much better roster.
Week 7: vs. New Orleans Saints
There are no gimmes on the NFL schedule. Even so, if any team looks poised for a significant downturn, it's the Saints. They've gotten old in some bad spots and just lost their best quarterback to retirement. This is a game the Bears have zero reasons to lose.
Week 8: at Baltimore Ravens
No team is a better measuring stick for whether you're good or not than Baltimore. They consistently have one of the better rosters in the league every year and are helmed by a top five quarterback in Lamar Jackson. We will find out what the Chicago Bears are made of in this game.
Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals
While they may be embroiled in turmoil due to a contract squabble and coaching issues, the Bengals remain a dangerous team thanks to the presence of quarterback Joe Burrow. Containing him is a tall order for any defense. This will be a game where the Bears offense has to do their part.
Week 10: vs. New York Giants
Desperation is likely to fuel the Giants this year. Their entire regime is on the hot seat and needs to win. This game could potentially save or end jobs. No doubt some on the Bears roster are eager to avenge that humiliating loss from 2022.
Week 11: At Minnesota Vikings
Not much nuance here. The Bears are 1-7 in their last eight games against the Vikings. Part of the problem has always been not having an offense that can keep up with theirs. However, Johnson has a particularly strong track record against them.
Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Will Aaron Rodgers play this year? We should hope so because this game represents what might be the last opportunity for the Bears to exact some revenge on their longtime tormentor. The Steelers are always tough but don't usually play well in Chicago.
Week 13: at Philadelphia Eagles
This will be one of the big barometer games for the Bears. They take on the defending Super Bowl champions on the road. They remain one of the most well-balanced rosters in the NFL. Nothing will indicate how strong (or weak) Chicago is in the trenches than this game.
Week 14: at Green Bay Packers
Heading to Lambeau Field right after tangling with the defending champions is tough. Even so, the Bears can't afford to complain about it. They proved they can win in Green Bay last season with one of the worst coaching staffs in franchise history. This is a winnable game.
Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns
Another team with loads of questions at quarterback. Deshaun Watson might be healthy by this point in the season, but he was terrible even when he played last year. The other options are an ancient Joe Flacco or two rookies. That is before you raise concerns about their lack of firepower on offense.
Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers
It never fails that the Bears will play the Packers late in the season when the stakes are almost certain to be at their highest. By the looks of things, this could be an advantageous matchup since it will be at Soldier Field. Last year, the latter of the two games was in Green Bay. If the Bears can reach this week with a winning record, they have a great chance to catapult themselves into the postseason.
One important sidenote: this revelation could mean the Bears will also play on Christmas Day. Last season, the NFL had four teams play on the Saturday before Christmas and then again on Christmas Day. This would suggest the Bears will battle Washington a few days after tangling with the Packers. That is a pretty tough five-day stretch.
Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers
It is never wise to look past a team like San Francisco, even if they're coming off a rough season. They still smoked the Chicago Bears last year and remain one of the most well-coached teams in the league. It appears they upgraded at defensive coordinator as well.
Week 18: vs. Detroit Lions
It would be quite poetic if the Bears' playoff hopes came down to this game. Johnson has to get through his former team to reach the postseason. Detroit humiliated the Bears at Soldier Field last year. If you want to win a championship, you have to get through the gatekeepers.
