Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears Head Coach Profile

In 2004, Lovie Smith took over the youngest team in the NFL and posted a 5-11 record. The following year, the Chicago Bears finished on top of their division and Smith won the 2005 AP Coach of the Year Award. In 2006, Smith led Chicago to a 13-3 record and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Lovie Smith is an excellent coach who finally got the contract extension he deserves. The Bears’ players were about to burn down the front office before ownership wised up and extended Lovie’s deal. Smith was one of the lowest paid coaches in the league last year (his salary for 2006 was $1.35 million). Smith will make $1.45 million in 2007, but with his new, four-year $22 million contract extension, Smith will average $4.7 million per season over the next five years.

Chicago Bears Off-Season Moves

Wide receiver Justin Gage split to the Tennessee Titians, but he only had four catches for the Chicago Bears last season. The addition of TE Greg Olsen, the team’s first round draft pick, should help stabilize the passing game.

DT Ian Scott went to the Eagles, and the Bears finally parted ways with Tank “Big Ammo” Johnson. Chicago picked up Anthony Adams, but the team needed to add another defensive tackle before the start of the season. Bringing in DT Darwin Walker for a fifth round pick was a smart move.   

Strong safety Adam Archuleta, whose one-year stint in Washington was as expensive as it was useless, was brought in to add depth behind safety Mike Brown, who has a history of being a bit fragile.

Chicago Bears 2007-08 Season Outlook

The Chicago Bears made it to the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 years, but even with a first-strike TD kick return by Devin Hester, the Bears didn’t have a chance to win the big game. Chicago will certainly have the opportunity to get their way back to the Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals are the only team in the league with an easier 2007 schedule. Chicago’s 2007 opponents managed a .465 winning percentage last season (119-137). With a 13-3 record, the Bears totally dominated the regular season last year, and over the past two seasons, Chicago’s home record is 13-3. Because of the weakness of the NFC North, it’s easy to see the Chicago Bears continuing their regular season tear and finishing on top of their division for the third straight season in a row.

Chicago’s defense brings the pain every single week. Urlacher is an absolute animal in the middle and LB Hunter Hillenmeyer is an underappreciated, solid contributor on the strong side. With cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman signing multi-year deals this offseason, and Lance Briggs finally committing to his one-year franchise offer, the unit that was impressive last season will continue to dominate. The Chicago Bears were stacked on the D-line last season, but after booting Tank Johnson and losing Ian Scott, the D-line could use some reinforcements.

On offense, the biggest question is Rex Grossman. In his first full season as a starter, Grossman led his team to the Super Bowl, where he threw two picks and fumbled two snaps. Grossman’s season was characterized by euphoric highs and rock bottom lows. Rex is not as bad as some would have you believe, but he’s also not as good as he’d like you to think. Grossman brings an over-the-top cockiness to the position that some may find misplaced, but there’s no arguing the fact that a confident QB will demand more respect from his teammates that a soft-spoken, humble guy like David Carr.  

With Thomas Jones gone and Cedric Benson stepping into the starting tailback position, the Bears need consistent play from the quarterback position if the team wants another shot at the Lombardi trophy. Getting Devin Hester and first round draft pick Greg Olsen involved in the offense is going to help Grossman out tremendously.

Chicago Bears Trivia

The Chicago Bears have the longest rivalry in NFL history with the Green Bay Packers. The two teams have battled 173 times with Chicago leading the series 89-79-6.

The Bears have 673 regular season victories, more than any other NFL franchise.

The Chicago Bears are the first NFL team to film a music video. The “Super Bowl Shuffle,” made during the 1985-1986 Super Bowl run, featured Bears stars such as Jim McMahon and William “The Refrigerator” Perry dancing and rapping to a tune about the Bears’ quest for the championship.

Walter Payton rushed for 16,726 yards in his career, a mark that stood for fifteen years until broken by Emmitt Smith on October 27, 2002.

Chicago Bears 2007-08 Roster

Chicago Bears 2007-08 Depth Chart

Chicago Bears – Soldier Field II

Construction Began: Winter 2001
Opened: September 29, 2003
Capacity: 66,000
Location: Chicago, IL
Surface: Natural Grass

Following its predecessor, Chicago's Soldier Field II preserves some of the original Soldier Field that was constructed in 1924. As one of the most storied football franchises in NFL history, the Chicago Bears have more Hall of Fame alumni than any other team in professional football history. It was only appropriate that the exterior of Soldier Field II would be highlighted by the original colonnades. Now, Bears fans enjoy all of their history with seats and an architectural design from the 21st century. Technology stretched beyond architecture, as the stadium offers 133 luxury suites, to go with the 66,000 Chicago Bear navy blue seats, all offering a wonderful field view.