The Chicago Bears are honouring Mike Ditka at their first home game since his death, against the New England Patriots. Fans attending will receive fake mustaches, and the first 10,000 will get knit headbands matching the coach's iconic sweater. The game will also include a stadium-wide mustache giveaway, on-field recognition and other tributes. Ditka grew his famous mustache during his coaching career, not while playing. It became a pop culture phenomenon after he led the Bears to a Super Bowl title in the 1985 season.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been judged the better of two 2024 first-round picks, edging New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye 4-3 in a category-by-category comparison. Williams is rated ahead on accuracy, arm strength, toughness and leadership. Maye is rated ahead on decision making, pocket presence and athleticism. The analysis weighs both players' performance across their first seasons and the early part of the 2026 season, with Williams's six fourth-quarter comebacks as a key point in his favour.
NBA star Anthony Davis and Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III exchanged barbs in Instagram comments after the Packers beat the Bears 31-7. Davis, a Packers fan from Chicago, had posted a jersey challenge that drew Bears fans to his comment section. Burden commented with a corn emoji, and Davis replied that he had heard Burden did not want to play. Burden responded by pointing to his receiving numbers and told Davis to remove Chicago from his bio.
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The Chicago Bears will wear a No. 89 helmet sticker to honour Mike Ditka in Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Ditka wore No. 89 during his decorated career as a tight end, and Chicago later retired the number. The decal shows a white 89 inside a navy football outlined in orange, placed on the back corner of the helmet. The Packers will also hold a moment of silence for Ditka at Lambeau Field, despite playing on the road. It is unclear whether the decals will be worn for the rest of the season.
The rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has been renewed over the past year. Bears coach Ben Johnson first took a shot at Packers coach Matt LaFleur at his introductory press conference, saying he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a year as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. LaFleur later offered a subtle response, praising Johnson's coaching while focusing on players. Johnson's Bears have won two of three meetings against Green Bay since he took over, including comeback wins in the playoffs.
