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Takeaways from the Bears' end-of-season press conference | Toyota Talks
In this week's Toyota Talks, Cassie Carlson is joined by Laurence Holmes from 670 The Score. They discuss the biggest takeaways from Bears head coach Ben Johnson and GM Ryan Poles' season-ending press conferences, potential changes to the coaching staff, and how the Bears manage some difficult decisions in free agency.
It’s all over and one with.
The Chicago Bears have moved on.
As much unbridled fun as the 2025 Bears were – and they were as much fun as they were bad for those with heart problems – that run is over. Not just in a literal sense after the NFC Divisional Round, but the Bears themselves haven’t just closed the book.
The Bears slammed it shut on Wednesday.
"There is no building off of this. We go back to square one," Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "We're back at the bottom again, and that's really all 32 teams. If you feel otherwise, you're probably missing the big picture. We have got to start from scratch."
That might not be what Bears fans want to hear.
This was a breakthrough season that Chicagoans had been waiting for. They deserve to revel in the season that was before moving on.
But, Johnson needs to move on. That’s the mentality he needs to have as a head coach.
Stop me when you’d consider the 2025 season a success for the Bears:
- The Bears finished with a winning record.
- The Bears won two games against their biggest rival.
- The Bears won seven games in thrilling, yet different, come back fashions.
- The Bears won the NFC North for the first time since 2018.
- The Bears won their first playoff game in 15 years.
- The Bears have a quarterback-coach combination that’s successful and growing.
The reality is, the first point would be where I’d stop.
Chicago doesn’t need to move on from the 2025 Bears just yet. This was a team for the ages that provided thrills the city hadn’t seen in years.
In fact, hold on to this team forever.
Big picture view:
One of the main emotions the Bears felt last Sunday was sadness.
It wasn’t because the ride was over. It wasn’t because they fell short after having multiple opportunities to break through. It was because they knew change was coming.
"This group's not gonna be here again," Bears safety Jaquan Brisker said after the loss to the Rams. "These teammates, we're all not going to be here again. The team's gonna look different, and it is sad because this was a special group."
Brisker is right, and no one knows this better than him.
Brisker’s contract expires after this season. He wants to be a Bear, but there’s a chance the Bears might not be able to afford him with cap restraints and potential market demands for a young safety who played his best game in the playoffs.
So, when Brisker sat at his locker after the Bears’ loss to the Rams, he did so in full uniform. He wanted to soak it all in just in case he wasn’t back next season.
If the players can do this, so can Chicago.
"We've had a hell of a ride," Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said Sunday after the loss to LA. "Be thankful and have a lot of gratitude for what this season has done and how we've grown as men and grown as players."
Many preseason expectations were that the Bears could win nine games. They might hang around .500. They should temper the outlook for a coach in Year 1 with a bunch of players from a five-win team in 2024.
In the end, the reality is the Bears exceeded all expectations.
They didn’t win a Super Bowl or earn the chance to play for one in the NFC title game. Those are the two most difficult pills to swallow.
But the Bears were closer than they’ve been in over a decade, and they left a trail of stories in their wake.
Fans will remember where they were when the Bears saw:
- That Colston Loveland game-winning catch-and-run against the Bengals.
- The walk-off winners against the Raiders, Commanders and Vikings.
- Williams’ throw to Rome Odunze on fourth and eight to keep a season alive against the Packers.
- Both of Williams’ game-winning touchdown throws to DJ Moore against the Packers.
- Williams’ touchdown throw to Moore against Cleveland that was shades of Joe Montana.
- William’s game-tying touchdown to Cole Kmet against the Rams,
Can you believe all of that happened in just one year?
The Bears lived it. They may never experience a season like this again, either. The Bears understand what comes next. That doesn’t mean they need to forget it.
"It sucks because there's gonna be a lot of turnover, a lot of new faces and things like that," Bears guard Jonah Jackson said on Monday. "But you just appreciate what you have when you had it."
Chicago Bears free agents: Here are the players to keep in mind heading into the 2026 offseason
Here’s a look at the Bears’ impending free agents, and some of the difficult decisions the team will need to make this offseason.
What's next:
What’s to come in Chicago? Isn’t that the million-dollar question?
Ideally, the Bears want to go a step further. Make it to the NFC title game and win it. Play in a Super Bowl.
The players returning in 2026 take the 2025 season and improve in the ways they struggled, and aim for new heights. The Johnson era has set the expectation that every Bears team can be a playoff contender now.
What comes in 2026 will be new. It will be different. The thrills and heartbreak will come in different ways. Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice; no two NFL seasons are the exact same.
"Next season’s next season," Johnson said last Sunday. "We’ll have to write a whole brand new story."
That brand new story might trump the one we just watched unfold in 2025. Who knows what’s in store?
No matter what comes next, the 2025 Bears deserve to live in Chicago lore forever. The Bears might have moved on, but you don’t need to. Not yet, at least.
It’s a reminder of what Chicago is like when the Bears are good. Those Bears got better. They never reached their best. They still made unforgettable moments for this city.
"I'm really excited about seeing this city, this fan base come to life," Johnson said. "These last two games, I'll never forget just the energy, the vibe. You could feel that it is a serious home-field advantage that we're creating here in Chicago."