Retired Numbers
The Pride and Joy of Illinois
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. They are one of two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding in 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals (originally the Racine Cardinals of Chicago). The Bears play their home games at Soldier Field on the Near South Side, adjacent to Lake Michigan. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. The Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season, and began hosting training camp at Halas Hall in 2020 after major renovations.
- Number 10: Role
- Shortstop
- Number 26: Affiliation
- Manager/Player (Ron Santo)
- Number 31: First Appears
- 2008 (Ernie Banks)
- Number 42: Status
- Retired League-wide for Jackie Robinson
- Total Retired Numbers
- 5 (including MLB-wide 42)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, on September 20, 1919, became professional on September 17, 1920, and moved to Chicago in 1921. The Bears played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through the 1970 season; they have played since then at Soldier Field. The team have won nine NFL Championships, eight before the AFL–NFL merger and one Super Bowl. They hold the NFL records for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers. The Bears' NFL championships and overall victories are second behind the Green Bay Packers, with whom they have a long-standing rivalry. The Bears reached their greatest modern period of success in the 1980s under head coach Mike Ditka, with whom they won Super Bowl XX in the 1985 season. The Bears appeared in their second Super Bowl during the 2006 season, which they lost to the Indianapolis Colts.
In Their Own Story
The wind whipped off Lake Michigan, carrying the scent of hot dogs and cut grass into the bleachers. An old man sat alone, his eyes tracing the steel beams above where history hung suspended in the air. He didn't need a program to count them; he could feel their weight. There was 14, glowing like a beacon of optimism from the dark days of the mid-century. Next to it, 10, etched by the fans' own hands after years of advocacy. And 26, a reminder of '70s pennant glory. Beside them sat 23, the steady heartbeat of the 80s, and 31, honoring the ace who made everyone believe. He watched as a young player in pinstripes stepped up to the plate, swinging with a ferocity that echoed those legends long ago. The numbers didn't move, but they seemed to watch, silent sentinels ensuring that no matter how the game changed, the history of the North Side would never be forgotten.
Did You Know?
- The Bears moved into Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, in 1922.
- The Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team (bears' young are called 'cubs').
- The Bears adopted the orange-and-blue colors of the University of Illinois, albeit in a darker shade.
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