Chicago Bears Timeline

(1920 - Present)

The Chicago Bears are one of the National Football League's oldest and most storied franchises. Founded in 1920 in Decatur, Illinois, as the Decatur Staleys by George Halas, the team moved to Chicago in 1921 and became a charter member of the NFL. The Bears have won nine NFL championships (including one Super Bowl), boast iconic figures like Red Grange, Dick Butkus, and Walter Payton, and play at Soldier Field. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Franchise Origins

A. E. Staley founds the Decatur Staleys

Sep 17, 1920

Starch company owner A. E. Staley founded the Decatur Staleys in Decatur, Illinois, hiring George Halas as a player-coach. The team joined the newly formed American Professional Football Association, which would later become the National Football League.

Image source: History of the Chicago Bears

Franchise relocates to Chicago and becomes the Bears

Jan 28, 1922

George Halas moved the team to Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side in 1921 and renamed it the Chicago Bears in 1922, adopting the bear name to complement baseball's Cubs. The move established one of the NFL's founding franchises in its permanent home.

Image source: Chicago Bears

NFL's first indoor game at Chicago Stadium

Dec 15, 1930

The Bears played the Chicago Cardinals in the first NFL game held indoors at Chicago Stadium, an exhibition featuring a shortened field with padded boards that foreshadowed arena football innovations.

Image source: 1932 NFL Playoff Game

Legendary Players

Bears sign Red Grange to landmark contract

Nov 22, 1925

Days after his final college game, Illinois star halfback Red Grange signed with the Bears, legitimizing professional football in the eyes of the public. His barnstorming tours drew massive crowds and helped establish the NFL as a major sports league.

Image source: Red Grange

Bears draft Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus in 1965

Nov 27, 1964

The Bears selected running back Gale Sayers and linebacker Dick Butkus in the 1965 draft, landing two future Hall of Famers whose brilliance defined the franchise during a period when the team struggled overall.

Image source: 1965 NFL draft

Sid Luckman enshrined in Pro Football Hall of Fame

Sep 7, 1965

Columbia University star Sid Luckman, who revolutionized the forward pass in the Bears' T-formation offense and won four NFL titles, was among the inaugural class inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Image source: Sid Luckman

Sayers records six touchdowns against the 49ers

Dec 12, 1965

Rookie Gale Sayers scored six touchdowns on a muddy Wrigley Field against San Francisco, tying an NFL single-game record and announcing himself as 'The Kansas Comet,' one of the most electrifying runners ever.

Image source: Gale Sayers

Walter Payton drafted by the Bears

Apr 29, 1975

The Bears selected Jackson State running back Walter Payton fourth overall. Over 13 seasons, 'Sweetness' rushed for a then-record 16,726 yards, became the face of the franchise, and earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Image source: Walter Payton

Bears select Jim McMahon in the draft

Apr 27, 1982

Brigham Young quarterback Jim McMahon was drafted fifth overall. The brash, headband-wearing signal-caller became the leader of the 1985 Super Bowl champions despite battling injuries throughout his career.

Image source: Jim McMahon

William Perry becomes a cultural phenomenon

Sep 8, 1985

Rookie defensive tackle William 'Refrigerator' Perry became a national sensation, scoring touchdowns as a goal-line fullback and appearing on the Super Bowl Shuffle. His popularity made him one of the most recognizable athletes in America.

Image source: William Perry (American football)

Walter Payton dies at age 45

Nov 1, 1999

Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton died of bile duct cancer. The Bears retired his number 34, the NFL named its Man of the Year Award in his honor, and fans mourned 'Sweetness' as the heart of the franchise.

Dick Butkus named greatest defender by NFL panel

Sep 2000

Middle linebacker Dick Butkus, an eight-time Pro Bowler famed for ferocious tackling, was honored as part of the NFL's All-Time Team celebrations, cementing his reputation as perhaps the most intimidating defender ever.

Image source: Dick Butkus

Devin Hester sets all-time return touchdown record

Dec 12, 2010

Return specialist Devin Hester broke the NFL record for combined kick and punt return touchdowns, finishing his career with 20. Widely regarded as the greatest returner ever, he redefined special teams impact.

Image source: Devin Hester

Championships

Bears win first NFL championship

Dec 17, 1933

The Bears defeated the New York Giants 23-21 at Wrigley Field in the first official NFL Championship Game, winning their first title under the league's new playoff format after posting a 10-2-1 regular season record.

Image source: 1933 NFL Championship Game

Bears win 1940 NFL Championship in historic shutout

Dec 8, 1940

The Bears demolished the Washington Redskins 73-0, still the most lopsided victory in NFL history. The game famously introduced the T-formation offense to a national audience, revolutionizing how football was played.

Image source: 1940 NFL Championship Game

Back-to-back NFL titles in 1941 and 1942

Dec 21, 1941

The Bears won consecutive NFL championships, defeating the Giants 37-9 in 1941 and completing an undefeated season by beating Washington again 14-6 in 1942, cementing their dynasty of the era.

Image source: 1941 NFL Championship Game

Bears win fourth NFL championship

Dec 26, 1943

Led by quarterback Sid Luckman, who threw five touchdown passes, the Bears beat the Washington Redskins 41-21 at Wrigley Field to capture their fourth NFL title of the decade.

Image source: 1943 NFL Championship Game

Bears win Super Bowl XX

Jan 26, 1986

The 1985 Bears, widely considered one of the greatest teams in NFL history, crushed the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. The 46 defense terrorized opponents all season, and the team finished 18-1 while spawning the famous 'Super Bowl Shuffle.'

Image source: Super Bowl XX

Richard Dent named Super Bowl MVP

Jan 26, 1986

Defensive end Richard Dent recorded 1.5 sacks and forced two fumbles in the Super Bowl XX rout, earning MVP honors. He later joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the anchors of the legendary 46 defense.

Image source: Richard Dent

Bears return to Super Bowl XLI

Feb 4, 2007

Chicago reached its second Super Bowl, falling to Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts 29-17 in rainy Miami. Devin Hester opened the game with a kickoff-return touchdown, but the Bears' comeback bid fell short.

Image source: Super Bowl XLI

Stadiums and Ownership

Halas retires from coaching for first time

Jan 1, 1950

George Halas stepped down as head coach after three decades, handing the reins to assistants including Hunk Anderson. He would return to the sideline multiple times over the following years before retiring permanently.

Image source: George Halas

George Halas coaches final game

Dec 17, 1967

'Papa Bear' coached his last game after 40 seasons, finishing with 318 victories and six NFL championships. He remained team owner until his death in 1983, shaping the franchise's identity like no other figure.

George Halas dies at age 88

Oct 31, 1983

Founder, owner, coach, and player George Halas passed away, ending an era for the franchise he built. His daughter Virginia McCaskey inherited control of the team, continuing family ownership into its next generations.

Soldier Field renovation and centennial celebrations

Sep 2019

Playing at Soldier Field since 1971, the Bears marked the NFL's 100th season with centennial celebrations honoring their history as a founding franchise, celebrating 100 years since the team's creation in Decatur.

Image source: Soldier Field

Virginia McCaskey era continues family legacy

Feb 2020

As the daughter of founder George Halas and principal owner since 1983, Virginia McCaskey guided the Bears through a century of football, making the franchise one of the longest continuously family-owned teams in American pro sports.

Image source: Virginia Halas McCaskey

Modern Era

Mike Ditka hired as head coach

Jan 20, 1982

Tight end great and former Bears champion Mike Ditka returned to Chicago as head coach. His fiery leadership transformed the team's culture and set the stage for the dominant defenses of the mid-1980s.

Image source: Mike Ditka

Ditka fired after 1992 season

Jan 5, 1993

After 11 seasons, six division titles, and the franchise's only Super Bowl victory, Mike Ditka was dismissed by ownership, closing the book on the most celebrated coaching tenure in modern Bears history.

Lovie Smith hired as head coach

Jan 15, 2004

The Bears hired Lovie Smith, a defensive-minded coach who rebuilt the franchise around a ball-hawking defense and led Chicago back to prominence, including a trip to the Super Bowl in his third season.

Image source: Lovie Smith

Bears acquire Jay Cutler in blockbuster trade

Apr 2, 2009

Chicago traded two first-round picks, a third-rounder, and Kyle Orton to Denver for quarterback Jay Cutler, betting big on the strong-armed passer who would become the franchise leader in passing yards.

Image source: Jay Cutler

Bears trade up to draft Justin Fields

Apr 29, 2021

Chicago traded up nine spots with the Giants to select Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields 11th overall, hoping the dynamic dual-threat prospect could finally solve the franchise's long-standing quarterback question.

Image source: Justin Fields

Key Facts

The Chicago Bears were founded in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys and are one of only two remaining charter members of the NFL, founded alongside the Arizona Cardinals franchise.
The Bears have won nine total championships: eight pre-Super Bowl era NFL titles and one Super Bowl (Super Bowl XX, following the 1985 season).
George Halas, founder, player, coach, and owner known as 'Papa Bear,' led the team for over six decades and helped establish professional football itself.
The team plays its home games at Soldier Field on Chicago's lakefront, which opened in 1924 and is the NFL's oldest stadium.
Legendary players include running back Walter Payton, linebacker Dick Butkus, and Bronko Nagurski, with Payton's 16,726 career rushing yards standing among the NFL's all-time best.

Source

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