Shawn Puri

Bears fans excited at the Bears vs. Rams pregame show

I am a football junkie. But I have not always been that way. Unlike most people in this area, I did not always like or know about football. I never played it for fun in elementary or middle school. My family had just come over from Pakistan and was not fully adapted to American life. My parents knew football, but not American football, and that led me to join soccer in elementary school. Whenever we found a game on the TV, my parents expressed their distaste for football and admonished that I could not play it.

But when I tuned in to the Oct. 5, 2022, matchup between the Patriots and the Bears, my fandom was cemented. Seeing the Bears dominate in a 33-14 blowout against a semi-good team attached me to their woes and successes. I watched that game alone in awe, with eyes glued to the upstairs TV screen.

After a slew of questionable in-season moves by General Manager Ryan Poles, he made the move that would forever change the franchise’s trajectory. In a trade with the Panthers, he collected their next two first-round picks, their 2024 second-round pick, and wide receiver DJ Moore. The Bears decided to roll with Justin Fields again in 2023 with playoff hopes. Fields led the Bears to a 7-10 record, which entrenched his legacy as a Bears quarterback. 

With Caleb Williams on the horizon, Poles decided to let go of Fields, opting for the younger, dynamic, electrifying option. Keeping coach Matt Eberflus for the 2024 season was the wrong decision, as we needed a new direction with a new quarterback. Eberflus was fired after some brutal clock management during the Week 13 Thanksgiving game at the Lions, sealing his fate. Thomas Brown took over after starting the season as the quarterbacks coach and, although not nearly experienced enough, led the Bears to their first win against the Packers, snapping their 11-game losing streak on Jan 5, 2025, in the season finale. The 2024 Bears finished with a 5-12 record.

The landscape of the Bears changed overnight when Johnson was hired on Jan. 20, 2025. The Bears’ ownership finally went out and broke the bank for the top coaching candidate. As the former Lions offensive coordinator, he strategized one of the NFL’s best offenses for years. Detroit emerged recently as a powerhouse after years of mediocrity, from their supercharged offense orchestrated by Johnson. 

With high hopes heading into free agency and the draft, Chicago went all out. They stiffened up their O-line and got weapons through the draft. I was as optimistic as one could be about the Bears before the season. With an agonizing 0-2 record to start, the Bears seemed lost. By the end of the season, however, they had managed seven fourth-quarter comeback wins and surged to an 11-6 record, leading the league in turnovers, with the two seed in the NFC.

Playoffs had been a fickle thing for Chicago. They had not won in the postseason since 2010, and that stat hung over them for their home game against the rival Packers. But this time, they were at home. According to ESPN, the Packers’ winning percentage was 95.4% with six minutes left. These Bears were most comfortable in the clutch. On 4th and 8, Williams threw a pass without his legs on the ground to Rome Odunze, placing it perfectly in his hands. Thanks to a brilliant halftime defensive adjustment by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, the Packers were shut out. Moore, who had been clutch this season, made the game-winning catch, ending the Packers’ season. 31-27 Bears after being down by 18 at half.

The next week was the Los Angeles Rams. They had mostly played in warm weather conditions coming into this game. Their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, formerly of Detroit, was 1-8 in games with temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The “cardiac” Bears had a chance. With two minutes to go and the Bears down seven, they were in excellent field position. After driving down to the Rams’ 14-yard line, Caleb was ice-cold. At 4th and 4, the offensive line evaporated, and Caleb was sent flying back for his life with his back turned till the 40-yard line. At that point, he threw the craziest pass I have ever seen live. With three Rams defenders blocking his vision, he threw a perfect deep ball to Cole Kmet. That pass traveled 51.2 yards in the air, the longest pass snapped in the red zones since 2016.

In overtime, the Bears prevented the Rams from scoring. After a punt, the Bears moved up to the Rams’ 48, which was within striking distance of field goal range, and a field goal was all they needed to win. However, the play call and execution did not match up. Moore did not run his route at full speed it ended up as Kamren Curl’s interception. The Rams scored a field goal, which officially brought the curtains down on the 2025 Bears. 

Despite the loss, I can unequivocally say this team is one of a kind. I will never forget how fun it was to watch them. Seeing this team constantly coming back in the unreal ways inspired me as a senior to continue when college applications got tough and familial circumstances forbade any peace at home. I started to look forward to Bears games again, just like I had when I was first introduced to them four years ago.

I had never watched a quarterback or coach speak after games, but this season I did. Johnson’s grown a great culture that this team has taken on. “Good, Better, Best” is one of the best slogans that I have ever heard, and I, for one, am ready to run through a wall for Johnson when I hear that. I am sure that these Bears are different and will continue their successes. Johnson and Williams saved my team, and I am very much looking forward to their future.