Chicago Bears

Lore & Background

Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois, as a company team. The company hired George Halas and Edward 'Dutch' Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921. The team moved to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys. In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. The Bears derived their nickname from their city's baseball team (bears' young are called 'cubs'). Halas liked the bright orange-and-blue colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois, and the Bears adopted those colors as their own, albeit in a darker shade of each. The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years. Their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL (and a crosstown rival from 1920 to 1959), was key in four out of the first six league titles. The Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. The franchise was an early success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship and remaining competitive throughout the decade. In the 1932 'Unofficial' NFL Championship, the Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game. In the first NFL Championship, the Bears played against the New York Giants, defeating them 23–21. From 1940 to 1947, quarterback Sid Luckman led the Bears to victories in four out of the five NFL Championship Games in which they appeared. One famous victory was their 73–0 victory over the favored Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium in the 1940 NFL Championship Game.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across Soldier Field in late November, biting through the layers of gear worn by two legendary teams. As the quarterback dropped back against the Bears' relentless pass rush, the roar of the crowd seemed to echo the history written on this very gridiron since 1932. Every snap was a battle for legacy, with the red and white uniforms clashing against the dark blue and orange, proving that even after decades, the fire between these two giants never truly dies.

Reader's Guide

The Bears play their home games at Soldier Field. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in 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. The Bears have a long-standing rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. Their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals was the oldest in the NFL. The Bears hold the NFL records for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers.

Did You Know?

• The Bears were originally named the Decatur Staleys and were established by the A. E. Staley food starch company.
• The Bears' nickname comes from the Chicago Cubs baseball team, as bears' young are called 'cubs'.
• The Bears won the 1940 NFL Championship Game 73–0 over the Washington Redskins, an NFL record for lopsided results.
• The Bears' colors are navy blue (Pantone 5395) and burnt orange (Pantone 1665), adopted from the University of Illinois.