The Chicago Bears had a magical season this year, but it ended after the Rams beat them in overtime in the NFC Divisional matchup. The Rams won 20-17 and are advancing to the NFC Championship game. While the result was heartbreaking for Bears fans, the future looks bright in Chicago, especially with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson running the show.
Still, the Bears were proud of their season and wanted to cherish how far they had come and everything they had done. Bears tight end Cole Kmet offered perspective on the loss and the season, noting that what hurts the most is how much it took to get that far in the first place. While he is excited for the future, he knows getting back to this point is not guaranteed.
“To think that it's just going to happen again, that's very wishful thinking, very wishful,” Kmet said. “And we play in a tough division. I know we won the division, but we also went 2-4 in the division this year. And those teams are going to come back hungry. It's just that much harder. And so that's why it hurts when you have the opportunity now, and you just come up a little short. It stinks because there's a lot of work that has to be done to get to this point.”
This season was a massive turnaround in Chicago for Ben Johnson's first season as head coach. The key was how this offense looked in Caleb Williams' second season. Williams also expressed hope for the future, despite the disappointing end to the season, especially after the miracle throw he made to tie the game.
“In these moments, you feel like you let your team down,” Williams said. “It's a good lesson for us; first time being in this situation for me and for us as a team. I'm excited for what's to come.”
The Bears had a taste of success, going from five wins to 11 and winning the NFC North, and also got their first playoff win in 15 years. The future is still bright, but in a tough division, nothing is guaranteed.
