The Chicago Bears' first season was in 1921 so there have been plenty of good and bad rosters to hit the field throughout their history. Everyone remembers the 1985 squad, but there have been plenty of other special years for the team.
Let's break down the five greatest teams in Bears history.
2006
The 2006 season ended in disappointing fashion, but that doesn't take away from how special it was. The Bears finished the regular season with a 13-3 record, which placed them first in the NFC North division. Chicago's offense ranked second in the league in scoring, and their defense was ranked third in points allowed.
As impressive as both the offensive and defense was, the real show-stealer was special teams standout Devin Hester. He returned seven kicks for touchdowns on the year. The Bears cruised through the playoffs but in the Super Bowl the offense couldn't do enough, putting up only 17 points in their loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
1933
The 1933 season was a big one for the Bears, finishing the regular season with a 10-2-1 record. This was the first season that the East and West split into two different divisions, and the Bears dominated the West. The offense looked a lot different back in 1933, but it was still one of the best in all of football. Chicago won the first six games of the regular season, and finished it by winning four in a row.
In the NFL Championship game, the Bears faced off with the New York Giants. A late-game field goal made the difference, and they came away with a 23-21 victory.
1942
The Bears' 1942 squad probably should have won the title, but in the end, it wasn't meant to be. Chicago finished the 1942 regular season with a perfect 11-0 record, leading the league in offensive yardage, offensive points, defensive yardage, defensive points and many other categories. The offense was nearly unstoppable and for the team, it was one of the best they've fielded.
In November, head coach George Halas left to join WWII and the team wasn't quite the same. In the Championship game, the Bears were knocked off by the Washington Redskins to ruin their perfect season.
1940
The Bears' 1940 team changed football in a couple of key ways, most notably when Halas introduced the T-formation. During the regular season, Chicago finished with an 8-3 record and the biggest reason was because of its offensive success. For example, in the second-to0last game of the season, the Bears dominated the Cleveland Rams putting up 47 points, Even though Chicago's defense wasn't great, the offense made up for it.
In the NFL Championship game, the Bears dominated the Redskins in one of the most impressive games in NFL history, putting up 73 points while giving up zero.
1985
There's no complete list of the greatest teams in Bears' history without the 1985 Chicago squad. Not only was it the best in franchise history, it's also one of the best in NFL history. Led by Walter Payton, the Bears finished the regular season with 15-1 record.
The defense was filled with star power, and is still considered one of the best to ever take the field. During the playoffs the unit really flexed its, muscles giving up only 10 points. After shutting out the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, the Bears faced off with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. The offense ran up the score, putting up 46 points on the way to an easy victory.
The Bears would need to have one special season to knock off the 1985 team from the top spot.
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