Learn the entire history of the Trusted Authoritative Chicago Bears , their history dating back to the formation of the Decatur Staleys in 1919, and their victories at the Super Bowl, their record players such as Walter Payton and Dick Butkus, and the rivalry between them and the Green Bay Packers.
Founding & Early Years (1919–1921)
- The Decatur Staleys (1919) were its beginnings.
The history of the Chicago bears can be traced to Decatur, Illinois where the A. E. Staley Starch Company established a company football team. The team was originated by George Halas and Dutch Sternaman and was referred to as Decatur Staleys.
- In 1920 the Staleys joined the American Professional Football Association (APFA) as one of its charter members and this became the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.
- Move to Chicago (1921)
George Halas relocated the team to Chicago to get more visibility and profits. They were playing at the Cubs Park (now Wrigley Field) and were renamed Chicago Staleys in the year 1921.
- In the same year, they first won the league championship with a record of 9-1-1.
- Becoming the Chicago Bears (1922)
Halas was motivated by their landlord, the Chicago Cubs to change the name of the team to Chicago Bears as football players were usually bigger than Cubs.
The Halas Era and the Early Gold Rush (1920s-1940s).
- George Halas -The Father of the Bears
Halas was the owner, coach, and player back in the early times influencing the team and the NFL in general.
- Competition with Green Bay Packers.
The oldest and most well-known rivalry in the NFL started in the year 1921, the Bears-Packers rivalry continues to date.
- The Monsters of the Midway (1930s)
In the 1930s, the Bears had developed a reputation of vicious defense and creative offense.
- They also competed in the inaugural championship game in the history of the NFL in 1933, in which they won 23-21 over the New York Giants.
- Halas initiated the T-formation offense, which transformed the football strategy.
- The 1940 NFL Championship
On December 8, 1940, the Bears beat the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the largest margin in the history of the NFL.
- Key Players
Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange, Sid Luckman and George Musso were some of the legends that saw the bears win four NFL titles in the 1940s (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946).
Post-War Years & Challenges (1950s)
- The team failed to sustain its dominance after Halas took a short break in the coaching profession.
- During the 1950s, the Bears were always competitive yet not championship, although they had stars such as George Blanda, Harlon Hill and Bill George (one of the first real middle linebackers).
- In 1958, Halas came back as coach to maintain the team.
Return to Glory (1960s)
- 1963 NFL Championship
The Bears were led by Halas and championed by their star linebacker Bill George, running back Willie Galimore and tight end Mike Ditka, to win the 1963 NFL Championship, beating the New York Giants 14-10.
- Birth of Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus.
Two all-time greats of Bears were drafted in 1965:
- Gale Sayers, a blazing running back who was known as Kansas Comet.
- Dick Butkus, a viciously striking linebacker and defensive hero.
The team was not able to compete consistently even with their brilliance.
The Lean Years (1970s)
- The Bears were hard hit in the transition into the era of merging into NFL- AFL.
- Although Butkus was a hero, the team has gone through many losing seasons and has not managed to get a stable quarterback.
- George Halas retired in 1967 and was only a co-owner until his death in 1983.
The 1980s: Monsters of the Midway Revived.
- Hiring of Mike Ditka (1982)
Mike Ditka, the former tight end of the Bears, reappeared as the head coach, bringing in the element of toughness and discipline.
- 1985 Super Bowl Champions
Bears (1985) It is considered that the 1985 Bears may be one of the most successful teams in the history of NFL:
- Finished the regular season 15–1.
- Conquered the playoffs, and had a 46–10 drubbing of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
- Led by:
- Walter Payton Hall of fame running back.
- Jim McMahon – Talkative quarterback.
- Mike Singletary -Defensive leader.
- The intimidating 46 Defense on the designs of Buddy Ryan.
- Their video, Super Bowl Shuffle was a cultural hit.
- Late 1980s Decline
Following their championship, the Bears have continued to be competitive and have never made it to Super Bowl under the leadership of Ditka.
1990s: Transition & Turbulence
- The squad did not make it following the dismissal of Ditka in 1992.
- Players such as Richard Dent, Neal Anderson and Steve McMichael continued to make the Bears respectable, yet lack of consistency at the quarter back position hurt the franchise.
- It was completely owned by McCaskey family, the descendants of George Halas.
2000s: Lovie Smith Years and Run to Super Bowl.
- The Lovie Smith (2004) hiring venture created a resurgence of defence.
- The Bears made it to Super Bowl XLI (2006) with the following:
- All Star linebacker Brian Urlacher.
- Explosive return man Devin Hester, who is known to have returned the first kickoff e score.
- Quarterback Rex Grossman.
- They were beaten by the Indianapolis Colts, 29-17.
2010s: Struggles & Rebuilds
- The Bears performed unequally despite having some star players such as Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Brandon Marshall.
- None of the coaching transitions (Lovie Smith, Marc Trestman, John Fox) led to permanent success.
- 2018 NFC North Title
The Bears under coach Matt Nagy posted a record of 12-4 but lost their playoff match in a heartbreaker to the Eagles (Double Doink miss field goal).
2020s: New Era & Justin Fields
- In 2021, the Bears began another rebuild, having drafted their next franchise quarterback, Justin Fields.
- They sold defensive cornerstone Roquan Smith in 2022 and the rebuilding season was rough.
- In 2023, Bears added talent surrounding Fields with a deal of DJ Moore and draft capital to signify a long-term strategy to become competitive again.
Legacy & Impact
- Championships:
- Championships at NFL (Pre-Super Bowl): 9 (1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963).
- Super Bowl Championships: 1(1985, Super Bowl XX).
- Hall of Famers:
The Bears have more Hall of Famers than any other NFL team including such legends as Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent and Brian Urlacher.
- Historic Rivalries:
Their competition with the Green Bay Packers is the oldest in the history of NFL (more than 200 games played).
Conclusion
Chicago Bears, among the foundation blocks of the NFL: a franchise that is founded on defense, tough and tradition. Since the Decatur Staleys, to the Monsters of the Midway, their history is full of innovations, legendary players and memorable events.
The glory has been more of a rebuilding than of recent decades, but the rich history of the Bears and their fanatical fans are enough to keep all the new eras with the hope of returning to the halcyon days of ability to win in championships.
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