The NFL announced a multi-year partnership with Madrid and will have a game at Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid, in 2026. The Bears, Chiefs and Dolphins are the three teams with marketing rights in Spain. It’s probably a question of when not if the Bears play in Madrid. We’ll see if it’s 2026

More than anyone in the NFL, owners need to be held accountable. Even 13 years after the fact.

With @aleclewis.bsky.social, going inside Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Vikings exit: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

🏈📺NEWS: The NFL-ESPN billion dollar deal exchanging top media assets for a 10 percent equity stake was finalized late Saturday, The Athletic has learned. www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Kevin Ortiz made it to every NFL stadium this season. His goal? To highlight wheelchair accessibility in each of them. “What’s crazy is once I put it out there, everybody said, ‘You can do it.’"

Bears head coach Ben Johnson on Declan Doyle earlier this month: "Dec's done a phenomenal job this year. He's everything I thought he was gonna be and some. He's got tremendous presence in front of the players. Extremely smart." Story on the new Ravens OC by Jeff Zrebiec

Major opportunity for Doyle to be a play caller for the Ravens. He was pretty impressive during his one year at Halas Hall and clearly is well regarded in the league. As far as the Bears' OC for 2026, passing game coordinator Press Taylor would make sense as a candidate for a promotion.

Excited for the opportunity to avenge elementary school spelling bee losses (delicacy/frigid, in case you were curious). I'll be at Tutoring Chicago's Celebrity Spelling Bee on March 11 to help raise funds for free one-to-one tutoring and mentorship for Chicago kids. Tickets: tutoringchicago.org

The Vikings are firing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a source tells The Athletic.

Great opportunity for Cunningham, the first ever Bears assistant GM. Trey Koziol and Jeff King are the obvious candidates for promotions to be Ryan Poles’ new No. 2.

Bears LG Joe Thuney is a finalist for the inaugural Protector of the Year award for the NFL’s top offensive lineman, and he’s got an endorsement from his QB

The Bears have their starting LG, C, RG and RT from 2025 all under contract and set for 2026. That's rare O-line continuity in this city. Story

Being an FBI agent wasn’t a job to former Bear Charles Tillman as much as it was a vocation. He loved the people he worked with and found honor, integrity and nobility in their service. Then came that day last January. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

Not saying it should've played a role in the Bill Belichick HOF conversation, but the Patriots did lose to the 2022 Bears 33-14 on Monday Night Football as 8.5-point home favorites, Matt Eberflus' only win as a touchdown+ underdog. Was that top of mind for voters? Who's to say.

Here’s the story of how JB from “The NFL Today” on CBS leaned on his job at Xerox during the audition for his first gig in sports broadcasting

I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com

That 2-point conversion to Colston Loveland in the win over the Packers needed further analysis. @danwiederer.bsky.social with some end-of-season thoughts on the Bears rookie TE, plus Ben Johnson and Cairo Santos

James Brown's origin story helped inspire me to start a podcast about sports media origin stories, so I was thrilled to get JB on the show. Enjoy

I wrote about Mike McDaniel, the double-edged notion of “toughness” in football and why I believe his best coaching years are still ahead of him: www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

A look at how Alex Bregman's offensive style fits Wrigely Field www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Declan Doyle is going to run it back as OC for the Bears in 2026.

Bears CB Nahshon Wright has been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster, replacing Quinyon Mitchell. Signed in April for depth, Wright started 16 games in the regular season and had five interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in his first year in Chicago. A great story.

jets should post a CHAMPIONS DRAFTED HERE social graphic

Me to my 3-year-old: Stop tackling your brother and falling down every time I throw you a ball. Also me: We’re watching football right now. We can watch Bluey at halftime. (I think I see the problem)

Rams lose JSN for a touchdown, dots!

After watching the halftime show, you can listen to James Brown’s sports media origin story, from Harvard basketball to Xerox to CBS

Part of Chris Finch’s opening statement from his pregame press conference

“Breaking In with Kevin Fishbain” episode 43 A special Conference Championship Sunday edition. Guest: James Brown, host of The NFL Today on CBS Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b... Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/6uic...

Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti. "Please get the truth out about our son."

Podcast for your conference championship weekend: Learn how @sethwickersham.bsky.social got his start in sports journalism — plus a little Caleb Williams conversation at the end Apple podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b... Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/2iP5... YouTube

Really fascinating look into who Derrick Rose is today and how he views basketball ahead of having his Bulls jersey hung in the rafters, by @jxlorenzi.bsky.social

“People like talking. Even the people who you think don’t like talking, they like sharing the things they’ve experienced rather than your perception of them.” — @sethwickersham.bsky.social

Via NBC: “Rams-Bears (45.4 million viewers) is NBC Sports’ most watched NFL Divisional Playoff on record, since Nielsen’s institution of the People Meter in 1988 – covering a total of 34 games.” “Chicago led all markets with a massive 34.7/66 local rating.”

The Eagles got a good look at the Bears’ offense at its best

What I’m hearing about the Blackhawks: www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Story today from Halas Hall on what we heard from Bears GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson

In his latest Mock Draft, Dane Brugler sends a DT to the Bears at No. 25, their latest first-round pick since 2011

"Breaking In with Kevin Fishbain" episode 42 Guest: @sethwickersham.bsky.social Learn how the author of "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback" got his start in sports journalism. Really fun conversation that goes from Alaska to covering the Rams-Titans Super Bowl as a college student

Bears GM Ryan Poles notes that all four safeties are set to be free agents. He did say Kevin Byard is "a special player" and they'd like to have him back.

Bears GM Ryan Poles says LT Ozzy Trapilo and LB Noah Sewell both underwent surgery. No timetables right now but rehab is underway. CB Jaylon Johnson injured his wrist in the playoff game and OG Jordan McFadden finished the game with an ankle injury.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said they "have to be better catching the football" and that'll be a "point of emphasis" starting in the spring. He was proud of the physicality the team played with, from the trenches to WRs blocking and DBs tackling, and the poise they showed late in games.

Ben Johnson: "I'm Caleb Williams' No. 1 believer."

Bears head coach Ben Johnson: "These last two games, I'll never forget. The energy, the vibe — you could feel that. It is a serious home-field advantage that we're creating here in Chicago."

Bears signed 14 players to futures/reserve contracts

In what should be one of the least acrimonious end-of-season Bears press conferences in a long time, Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles will meet the media at 10a on Wednesday at Halas Hall.

Bears QB Caleb Williams is a finalist for the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award. “The award annually recognizes one union member who goes above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown.”

A few takeaways looking back at the Bears' loss to the Rams... - The final INT - Rome Odunze reflects on season - The O-line shake-up - Fourth-down, two-point decisions - Dennis Allen's defense steps up And more

Toews: "It blew me away, obviously. It’s a crazy moment to get that reception from the fans. Pretty special, something I’ll remember forever."

As called by Don Fischer on Indiana Hoosiers radio and HEARD on the Varsity app:

Jonathan Toews comes home to Chicago: www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...