The schedule is trickling out from today until Wednesday night. Take a guess at how many times we’ll see the Bears in primetime.
The NFL schedule is already starting to come out. No one prolongs a straightforward process like the NFL.
Why just drop the schedule in one quick post when you can let your broadcast partners parse it out over days? And finally, let all of the teams’ social media teams have their moment of glory with the actual release on Wednesday?
Anyway, those complaints are for another time.
The schedule is officially coming on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT. But before then and ideally before too many Bears games leak, I wanted to share which games I think will be in primetime.
As a reminder, here are the teams the Bears are playing this season.
Our 2025 opponents are set
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 6, 2025
The maximum number of primetime games a team can have is six. With the Bears slate full of playoff teams from a season ago and historic rivalries, plus an exciting young QB and head coach, they could come close to the maximum.
These are the games I think are most likely to land in primetime.
at Washington Commanders – I think we all know why, right? But aside from last year’s ending, Jayden Daniels-Caleb Williams make this a circled game for network execs and football fans everywhere.
at Green Bay Packers – It’s likely one of the Bears-Packers rivalries lands in primetime. It has for years, and typically it’s the Lambeau meeting.
vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Pittsburgh-Chicago game could be an interesting test. The Steelers look like they won’t be as good since they have a bad QB situation. But two of the last three Steelers-Bears games happened under the lights. This feels like a Thursday Night game if it lands in primetime.
at Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow vs. Caleb Williams. Come on, this one would be so fun.
at Philadelphia Eagles – The reigning Super Bowl champions get to test the rising Chicago Bears. If not in primetime, this one feels like a 3:25 p.m. slot that FOX protects from flexing.
vs. Dallas Cowboys – Five of the last six meetings came in primetime. The two teams haven’t met since 2022, which wasn’t in primetime. Feels like it’s due.
Other candidates (and holidays!)
I think the above are the most likely candidates. But, the Bears are a big draw, a national brand and have an interesting schedule. Especially their away schedule (sorry season ticket holders — unless you LOVE noon games).
A few more games could land in primetime.
at San Francisco 49ers – Ben Johnson vs. Kyle Shanahan, this one is for the football nerds.
vs. New York Giants – This feels gross but the networks love the big markets and national brands. Late season Thursday Night game?
Thanksgiving at Detroit Lions – Get ready now. How could Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit not come on a non-primetime, but huge national game? It’s destiny.
Christmas – at Baltimore Ravens or Minnesota Vikings – I don’t know if the Chicago Bears will land a Christmas game, but it seems like a mild matchup like these could fit the bill. Multiple-MVP Lamar Jackson vs. Caleb Williams or a division matchup that on paper could be a coin-flip today if it has playoff implications.
How many primetime games do you think the Bears will have? And which games do you think could be played under the lights?