Who was the first owner of the Chicago Bears?
Official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL. The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys.
Why are the Chicago Bears called the Bears?
In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. As with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team (some directly, some indirectly – like the Bears, whose young are called "cubs").
What is the value of the Chicago Bears?
In 2020, Forbes magazine reported that the franchise is worth $3.525 billion, making it the seventh richest franchise in the NFL. Chicago is the third largest media market in the United States.
How many seasons has the Chicago Bears played in?
For detailed information on the Bears seasons, see List of Chicago Bears seasons. The Chicago Bears American football franchise is a charter member of the National Football League (NFL), and has played in all of the league's 100 seasons.
When did the Bears join the NFL?
The Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921 (the Green Bay Packers were an independent team until they joined the NFL in 1921).
When did the Chicago Bears move to Chicago?
The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys. Under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for US$100. In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears.
What channel is the Bears preseason game on?
Preseason games air on WFLD (channel 32). The announcers are Sam Rosen (play-by-play), Erik Kramer (color commentary) and Lou Canellis (sideline reporter). WFLD also carries the majority of the team's regular season games through the NFL on Fox. Any Bears home games against AFC teams are aired on the CBS O&O station, WBBM-TV, which was the Bears' unofficial "home" station from 1956 until Fox won the NFC rights in 1995. Sunday Night games are broadcast on WMAQ-TV, the NBC O&O station, with ESPN Monday Night Football games rotating between WLS-TV and WCIU-TV (dependent on opponent, along with Dancing with the Stars|ABC's Monday night entertainment schedule ).
How many numbers have the Bears retired?
The Bears have retired 14 uniform numbers, which is the most in the NFL, and ranks fourth behind the basketball Boston Celtics ( 22 ), baseball New York Yankees (21), and hockey Montreal Canadiens (15) for the most in North American professional sports. The Bears retired Mike Ditka 's number 89 jersey on December 9, 2013. It is the last number that the Bears retired.
What year did the Spartans and Bears meet?
The rivalry grew in 1932, when the Bears and Spartans met in the first-ever postseason game in NFL history, with the Bears winning the game 9–0. The game also was known as the first " indoor football " game, as the game took place in indoor Chicago Stadium due to a blizzard at the time.
How many head coaches did the Chicago Bears have?
Between the firing of Ditka and the hiring of Lovie Smith, the Bears had two head coaches, Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron. While both head coaches led the team to the playoffs once (Wannstedt in 1994 and Jauron in 2001), neither was able to accumulate a winning record or bring the Bears back to the Super Bowl.
How many fans did the Chicago Bears draw?
The Bears would only draw roughly 5,000–6,000 fans a game, while a University of Chicago game would draw 40,000–50,000 fans a game.
What was the Bears football team called?
In 1919, the Bears began as a company-sponsored football club, as was common during the infancy of the game. They were originally called the Decatur Staleys after the A.E. Staley food starch manufacturing company. The Staleys became charter members of the first manifestation of the NFL (then called the American Professional Football Association) on Sept. 17, 1920.
How many playoff appearances does the Bears have?
If this game is viewed as a playoff, then the Bears have 27 playoff appearances. If this game is viewed as an extension of the regular season, then the answer is 26 playoff appearances.
Why did the Spartans and Bears play extra games in 1932?
This question is up for debate depending on how one classifies the 1932 playoff/extra game. Because the Spartans and Bears tied their previous two regular season meetings that year, an extra match was needed to determine the league champion.
What was the most dominant NFL team in the 1940s?
The Bears were the most dominant NFL team during the 1940s, appearing in five championships and winning four. Of particular note is the 1940 season that saw a 73–0 thumping of Washington in the NFL championship game.
Why did the Bears want college athletes?
Though this practice is also common today, the idea that one would procure a college degree and become a professional athlete seemed absurd at the time. One of the chief reasons a college athlete becoming a professional athlete seemed so far-fetched was because most professional athletes didn’t garner tremendous salaries during this era, and the income period of an athlete is much shorter than that of a college graduate.
When did the Bears play in Wrigley Field?
Wrigley Field (1921–70): The Bears began playing games in Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs baseball team, in 1921. They played their final game there on Dec. 13, 1970.
Where did the Bears get their C emblem?
Also like the Cubs, the Bears' emblem is a large C, but the wishbone C emblem that was eventually settled on was acquired from the University of Chicago.
How old are the Bears?
Still, the Bears average 27.0 years old and in NFL standards they are graybeards. Houston is next oldest at 26.8.
How many snaps are there in the Bears defense?
Snap counts will be watched on the Bears defense with so many 30-somethings, but not necessarily because one is 30 and another is 29.
Which NFL team has the oldest roster?
The Bears have the oldest roster in the NFL for 2021 but no one is worrying much about it in terms of this season considering how other older teams have done in recent years.
Who was the first Bears free agent?
16 Red Grange was the first big-time Bears free agent signing, and he gave a new legitimacy to both the team and the league when he inked a contract in 1925.
Why did the Bears change their name?
2 The Bears were originally called the Decatur Staleys, but changed their name to the Bears in 1922 to pay homage to the Chicago Cubs.
How many years did Halas hold the NFL record?
18 Halas held an NFL record for nearly 50 years, returning a fumble 98 yards for a touchdown during the 1923 season.
How many times has 20 Halas won the NFC championship?
20 Halas’ name not only adorns the Bears’ practice facility, but also the NFC championship trophy, which the Bears have only won twice in team history.
What was the first NFL game to be played indoors?
22 The 1932 tiebreaker game between the Bears and Portsmouth Spartans was moved from Wrigley Field to the indoor confines of the Chicago Stadium, making it the first NFL game to be played indoors. The Bears ultimately won 9-0.
What team has the C logo?
14 The Bears’ iconic “C” logo was borrowed from two different teams: the Cardinals, who left down in 1959, and the University of Chicago, who disbanded their football team in 1939.
When did the Bears play Soldier Field?
4 The Bears have played at Soldier Field since 1971 , but prior to that they played their games at Wrigley Field for nearly half a century.
Where are the Packers from?
From its inception in 1919, the Packers, who were sponsored by the Indian Packing Company, have been based out of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers were founded by Earl Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Lambeau was a former football player and became the Packers’ first coach.
When did the Washington Redskins become the Boston Braves?
The Washington Redskins were established as the Boston Braves in 1932 when George Preston Marshall was awarded the inactive Boston NFL franchise. Marshall named the team Braves after the name of the field the team used, Braves Field, which was the home of the National League baseball team. The team was moved to Fenway Park in 1933 and the its name was changed to the Redskins.
What year did the NFL change its name?
For the 1922 season, the APFA changed its name to the NFL and the other teams on this list joined in subsequent years. All of these teams played an important part in establishing the rules and customs of today’s NFL.
Which NFL team has never moved?
While the Green Bay Packers did not join the NFL until its second year, the team does have the distinction of being the oldest continuous franchise that has never moved or changed its name. From its inception in 1919, the Packers, who were sponsored by the Indian Packing Company, have been based out of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Why did the Braves get their name?
Marshall named the team Braves after the name of the field the team used, Braves Field, which was the home of the National League baseball team. The team was moved to Fenway Park in 1933 and the its name was changed to the Redskins.
Who was the first coach of the Green Bay Packers?
The Green Bay Packers were founded by Earl Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Lambeau was a former football player and became the Packers’ first coach. The Green Bay Packers’ home field is named in honor of Lambeau. In addition to Lambeau, coach Vince Lombardi is the other dominant figure in the Packers’ history. Between the two coaches, the Green Bay Packers won 11 NFL Championships (pre-Super Bowl).
When was the American football league founded?
American football dates back to the mid 19 th century when colleges began playing games using modified rules from soccer and rugby. As football grew in popularity, many companies sponsored professional teams. This laid the foundation for the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which was started in 1920 as the direct forerunner of the National Football League (NFL).
Overview
Franchise history
In March of 1920 a man telephoned me ... George Chamberlain and he was general superintendent of the A.E. Staley Company ... In 1919, [the company's Fellowship Club] had formed a football team. It had done well against other local teams but Mr. Staley wanted to build it into a team that could compete successfully with the best semi-professional and industrial teams in the country ... Mr. Chamberlain asked if I would like to come to Decatur and work for th…
Ownership
The team is primarily owned by the heirs of George Halas. His daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey, her children, and grandchildren control 80 percent of the stock, and Mrs. McCaskey is empowered to speak for the interests of her children and grandchildren as well as her own. Pat Ryan, former chairman and CEO of Aon Corp., and Aon director Andrew J. McKenna own 19.7% of the club. …
Sponsorships
The team has major sponsorship deals with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Miller Brewing Company, PNC Financial Services, United Airlines, Verizon, Xfinity, and Proven IT. The team was the first in the NFL to have a presenting sponsor, with the 2004 season advertised as "Bears Football presented by BankOne (now Chase)". Additionally, the Bears have an agreement with WFLD (the Fox owned-and-operated station in Chicago) to broadcast pre-season football games.
Team culture
Before the 2003 season, the team had two unofficial mascots named "Rocky" and "Bearman". "Rocky" was a man who donned a #1 Bears jersey, carried a megaphone, and started chants all over Soldier Field during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, in a fashion similar to Fireman Ed. There is no known source of who "Rocky" was, and presumably currently lives in Northwestern Indiana. Don …
Rivalries
The Green Bay Packers are the Bears' biggest rivals since their team's inception in 1920. The Green Bay Packers currently have the lead at 103–95–6, and the teams have met twice in the postseason. The Bears won the 1941 meeting, 33–14, and eventually defeated the New York Giants in the 1941 NFL Championship Game, and the Packers won the 2011 meeting, 21–14, en route to a Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams' first meeting was a victor…
Stadium
Soldier Field, located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, is the current home of the Bears. The Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971 after outgrowing Wrigley Field, the team's home for 50 years. Northwestern University's residential neighbors objected to their playing at Dyche Stadium, now called Ryan Field. After the AFL-NFL Merger, the newly merged league wanted their teams to play in stadiums …
In popular culture
While the Super Bowl XX champion Bears were a fixture of mainstream American pop culture in the 1980s, the Bears made a prior mark with the 1971 American TV movie Brian's Song starring Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers and James Caan as Brian Piccolo. The film told of how Piccolo helped Sayers recover from a devastating knee injury to return to his status as one of the lea…
Origin and Timeline of The Bears
The Bears Team Highlights, Stats and Records
- Overall Team Record:
769-591-42 - Coach With the Most Wins:
George Halas (318-148-31)
The History of The Bears Mascot and Logo
- The Yankee and Dodger football teams copied the names of their respective, local baseball teams in hopes of capitalizing on brand recognition. Similarly, George Halas changed the Chicago mascot to the Bears in 1922 to complement the Cubs. Depictions of the Bear have varied over the years, but most commonly resembled that of a brown bear or grizzly. In 2003, Staley Da Bear wa…
Nicknames
- The nickname “Monsters of the Midway” was also obtained from the University of Chicago during the 1940s. The term “Da Bears” is a reference to the Bears that was made popular by the recurring Saturday Night Liveskit “Bill Swerski’s Superfans” in the early 1990s.
Chicago Bear Colors
- Halas chose a color scheme that mimics that of the Illinois College Football Team: navy blue, burnt orange and white. However, Halas chose not to copy the college team's color scheme exactly. The most notable deviation is that the navy blue in the Bears’ color scheme is much darker than that of the Illinois college team. Without close inspection, the Bears’ navy blue can e…
Notable Rivalries and Games
- Green Bay: This is one of the longest-running and one of the most competitive rivalries in NFL history. As of the 2019 season, Green Bay leads the series 99-95-6, including two playoff contests tha...
- Minnesota: The Vikings and Bears have been going at it since the Bears' first regular-season game on Sept. 17, 1961, which the Vikings won 37–13. As of the 2019 season, the Vikings cu…
- Green Bay: This is one of the longest-running and one of the most competitive rivalries in NFL history. As of the 2019 season, Green Bay leads the series 99-95-6, including two playoff contests tha...
- Minnesota: The Vikings and Bears have been going at it since the Bears' first regular-season game on Sept. 17, 1961, which the Vikings won 37–13. As of the 2019 season, the Vikings currently lead t...
- Detroit: This is another of the NFL’s long-lived rivalries; it began in 1930. One of the most famous Bears-Lions contests was in 1932 when the Lions (then called the Spartans) faced off against the...
- Arizona: Though no longer a rivalry, the series between the Cardinals and Bears is of note be…
Chicago's Stadium History
- Staley Field (1920): Staley Field was the Bears home for the single season they played in Decatur, Illinois. With just a 1,500 seat capacity and a $1 admission fee, it was soon clear this would not...
- Wrigley Field (1921–70): The Bears began playing games in Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs baseball team, in 1921. They played their final game there on Dec. 13, 1970.
- Staley Field (1920): Staley Field was the Bears home for the single season they played in Decatur, Illinois. With just a 1,500 seat capacity and a $1 admission fee, it was soon clear this would not...
- Wrigley Field (1921–70): The Bears began playing games in Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs baseball team, in 1921. They played their final game there on Dec. 13, 1970.
- Soldier Field "Old Soldier Field" (1971–2002): Due to an NFL mandate that all stadiums accommodate at least 50,000 fans, the Bears were compelled to leave Wrigley Field after 50 years. They played...
Most Important Players
- The Bears have had a long and illustrious history. As a result, they have garnered more Hall of Fame honors and have immortalized more players by retiring their numbers than any other NFL franchise.
Chicago's Retired Numbers
- No. 3, Bronko Nagurski (FB-LB-T, 1930–37, '43):A four-time All-Pro, Nagurski was an old-time player with modern size and speed. At 6'2" and 226 lbs, he would have been a force to be reckoned with i...
- No. 5, George McAfee (HB-DB, 1940–41, '45, '50): This one-time All-Pro was on three championship teams and devastated opponents as both an offensive and defensive force.
- No. 3, Bronko Nagurski (FB-LB-T, 1930–37, '43):A four-time All-Pro, Nagurski was an old-time player with modern size and speed. At 6'2" and 226 lbs, he would have been a force to be reckoned with i...
- No. 5, George McAfee (HB-DB, 1940–41, '45, '50): This one-time All-Pro was on three championship teams and devastated opponents as both an offensive and defensive force.
- No. 7, George Halas (E, 1920–28 player, 1920–67 coach, 1921–82 executive):Halas both played and coached the team in its infancy. It is as an owner and coach where his visionary skills stood out.
- No. 28, Willie Galimore (HB, 1957–63):A fabulous running back and civil rights activist, Galimore had his life tragically cut short in an automobile accident at 29.
FAQs
- Who Owns the Bears?
1. A.E. Staley Company (1920–21) 2. George Halas and Dutch Sternaman (1921–32) 3. George Halas (1932–82) 4. Virginia Halas McCaskey (1983–present) - How Did the Bears Get Their Name?
Like many early NFL teams, the Bears name was given to complement the local baseball team, the Cubs.