After the season they just had, there are plenty of reasons for head coach Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears to be excited about the future.
But just because they had success in Year 1, doesn't mean they'll automatically take things to another level in Year 2 under Johnson.
Speaking to the media this week, Johnson pointed out the reality that momentum doesn't always pour over into the next season:
The offense was a huge success in 2025 behind Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams, and there's obviously the potential to build on that success in 2026. It's hard to imagine the Bears don't also make some massive upgrades on defense this offseason, making them a more complete team moving forward.
But none of that means the team will just pick up where they left off this year, and magically make it back to the divisional round of the playoffs. As Johnson admitted, they'll start back at the bottom of the mountain in 2026, just like every other team.
It makes sense to believe in the positive direction this franchise has after this season. But it'll still take a ton of hard work to ensure they build on that success, instead of regressing and failing to maximize what they started.
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