A 20-year NFL trend saw Super Bowl losers crowned champions the following season. Can the Bears break this cycle in 2027?
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots played in Super Bowl LX to close out the 2025 season.
A former Chicago Bears player even got called up from the practice squad ahead of the game. Velus Jones Jr., who played in Chicago from 2022-24, was elevated with running back Cam Akers for the Seahawks.
After a defensive battle for most of the game, the Seahawks pulled away and won 29-13. This wasn't the first time the two teams met in the Super Bowl.
They did so in 2015, as Russell Wilson and the Seahawks lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots 28-24.
The Seahawks got their revenge, but they also followed a wild NFL trend.
Every team that has lost the Super Bowl in the last 20 years has gone on to win it, and the Seahawks weren't the first team to do so. The Seahawks lost the Super Bowl in 2006 and won it in 2026.
The Philadelphia Eagles did it first after losing in 2005. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.
Guess what team has a chance to continue that trend in 2027? You guessed it, the Bears.
Chicago went to the Super Bowl in 2007 and lost to the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and act as if it'll just be easy for the Bears to reach the playoffs again, let alone the Super Bowl. However, if the trend repeats itself, the Bears would be the next team up.
The Bears reached the Divisional Round of the playoffs before losing to the Los Angeles Rams 20-17 in overtime.
It will be a long road back to the playoffs for Chicago, and that's reflected in the Super Bowl 61 odds. The Bears' odds of making the Super Bowl next season come in at +2500 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Seahawks and Rams have the best odds of making it at +950.
The Buffalo Bills (+1100), Patriots (+1300), Baltimore Ravens (+1300), Eagles (+1400), Chiefs (+1400), Green Bay Packers (+1400), Detroit Lions (+1400), Los Angeles Chargers (+1500), San Francisco 49ers (+1700), Denver Broncos (+1800), Houston Texans (2000), Jackonsville Jaguars (+2200) all have better odds of reaching the Super Bowl than the Bears.
It's yet to be seen if the Bears have what it takes to make the Super Bowl. I guess we'll find out if Ben Johnson can take that next step in 2026.