Bears reach 5-2 as Chicago teams give local fans more to follow

The Bears improved to 5-2 with a 30-24 victory over the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. The prime-time matchup brought the reigning AFC champions to Chicago and added another win to a season that is giving local football fans plenty to follow.

The result arrived amid activity across Chicago’s other major professional teams. Both the Cubs and White Sox reached the playoffs, giving fans on both sides of the city postseason baseball to follow. Those appearances provide a broader backdrop to the Bears’ start, rather than leaving football as the only source of local sports excitement.

On the ice, Connor Bedard is skating alongside Patrick Kane for the Blackhawks. On the basketball court, Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson offers another player for Chicago fans to watch. Together, those developments give residents storylines that extend beyond the NFL as the hockey and basketball seasons overlap with football.

For the Bears, quarterback Caleb Williams and receiving options Luther Burden and Colston Loveland are central to the current attention. Coach Ben Johnson’s team entered the Patriots matchup as the favorite. Winning against the defending AFC champions gave Chicago a concrete result to accompany the enthusiasm around its offense.

Thursday’s game also offered a comparison with a much earlier Bears team. Chicago last beat New England at Soldier Field in 2000, when Tom Brady was a rookie reserve for the Patriots. Shane Matthews played quarterback for the Bears that day, and James Allen carried the ball 37 times. That Chicago team ultimately finished 5-11, a different position from the current club’s winning record through seven games.

Fans wearing fake mustaches inspired by Mike Ditka added a distinctly Chicago touch to Thursday’s atmosphere. The larger local picture now includes a winning Bears team, two recent baseball playoff participants and prominent names on the winter sports schedule. Each offers Chicago supporters a separate reason to keep following their teams as the seasons change.