Bears HC Ben Johnson among biggest losers after NFL schedule release
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was listed as a loser from the NFL's schedule release with the obstacles his team will face in 2026.
When the Chicago Bears ' 2026 schedule was released last week, the breakdowns and analysis were coming in at a fast and furious pace, and for Chicago, not all of them were positive. After shocking the NFL world throughout their 2025 season where they won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, defeating the Green Bay Packers two out of three meetings, including in the wild-card playoffs, the league did Chicago no favors for the upcoming year. The Bears will play the most difficult strength of schedule, which includes five prime-time games (including three straight), as well as two holiday games, and all of that leads to a different schedule than most teams, including the difficulty of opponents they'll face.
Due to the tough schedule, Eric Edholm of NFL. com has listed Bears head coach Ben Johnson as one of their "losers" in the immediate aftermath of the schedule release, with a deep explanation of the obstacles that Chicago's head coach will have to overcome. The Bears became a national team again last season, with Johnson helping energize their offense in his first year as head coach and the team displaying a knack for pulling out late-game miracles.
The NFL and its broadcasting partners clearly took notice. The Bears have five prime-time games, including three in a row in Weeks 7-9 against the Patriots, Seahawks and Buccaneers. The other two are tough matchups against the Eagles in Chicago in Week 3 and at the Bills in Week 15.
Amazingly, none of their prime-time games are against the Packers, following three thrillers between those teams last season. So why is Johnson a loser here? Because coaches love routine and typically hate a slew of different starting times, but the Bears will be fed a diet of them.