If you told any Chicago Bears fan at the start of the season that they’d be surviving on pure veteran grit, backup magic, and cinematic plot twists by October, they probably would have panicked. But when quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury during a Sept. 20 game against the Minnesota Vikings, the team didn’t just stumble; they turned an early-season crisis into an unforgettable story of resilience.
This meant that the Bears had to turn to their second- and third-string quarterbacks.
Tyson Bagent, the young second-string quarterback, suffered a concussion during the second week against the Vikings. Head Coach Ben Johnson had to play the third-string quarterback, Case Keenum. Keenum is almost 40 years old and hasn’t started a game since the 2023 season.
Keenum went on to lead the Bears to a dominant 27-7 win against the Philadelphia Eagles. This showed the Bears’ determination to continue to bring wins to the Windy City. People across the country were impressed with what they just witnessed. Rightfully so.
The fourth week arrived, and Williams was still on the did not participate (DNP) list, having missed three games. This meant the Bears needed another backup quarterback. Bagnet was able to play again. Since he was the second-string quarterback, he was slotted back into the starting role.
Head coach Ben Johnson dialed up a wrinkle against the New York Jets, putting both Keenum and Bagent on the field, which kept the defense guessing before Bagent ultimately played the rest of the game. The Bears won 23-12.
Week Five came around, with the Bears and Packers playing each other. Being rivals had put a lot of pressure on the Bears. Williams was still out, and Bagent was starting again. The Bears were seeking a statement win against their archrivals.
Sadly, Bagent could not bring home the victory, with the Bears losing 7-31.
Not all hope was lost, though. After Week Five, it was revealed that Williams was off the DNP list and was preparing to play against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Bears won 31-23. After the win, coach Johnson celebrated with the Stanky Leg dance in the locker room.
The Bears then took on last year’s Super Bowl contenders, the New England Patriots. The game surprised fans on both sides, especially the Patriots fans, with the Bears pulling off a close win of 30-24. Coach Johnson celebrated with the Stanky Leg again, and the team joined in with him.
Over the past week, the Bears traded a 2027 first-round draft pick, a 2028 first-round draft pick, and a 2027 fourth-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Simmons is highly regarded in the league, but with the Titans sitting at 1-7, he wasn’t happy with the team’s performance. He signed a three-year contract with the Bears.
Following this trade, they faced the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8 on Monday, Nov. 2. The Seahawks were the defending Super Bowl champions. The Bears continued to show their power as a team; they came out on top against the Seahawks, 34-17. This makes their record 6-2.
If it weren’t for Caleb Williams’ injury, I think the Bears would be undefeated. The Bears mean business this year. They are hungry for a Super Bowl win. Everyone else needs to watch out for Chicago.