Head coach Ben Johnson returns to Detroit on Thanksgiving, seeking his first win against his former team to prove Chicago’s dominance and settle a lingering divisional score.
If you were to ask Chicago Bears fans who they are wanting to get revenge on this year, several teams would come to mind.
Even though the Bears got the better of the Green Bay Packers in their last two meetings in Week 16 and the Wild Card, fans are always wanting to beat their hated rival.
Chicago did lose to Green Bay in Week 14 at Lambeau Field last season, which the people in the Windy City haven't forgotten about. Surely Packers fans haven't let Bears fans hear the end of it.
The Bears also have a matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. There's no doubt that free-agent addition Coby Bryant will be amped up for that game when he faces his old team at Lumen Field.
It was actually predicted that the Bears would open the 2026 season with the Seahawks by ESPN's Adam Schefter, so the team could prove it deserved to be in that slot.
So, the question remains. What is biggest revenge game for the Bears this year?
Sports Illustrated's David McKay believes it's the Week 12 meeting with the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
"This is the one," McKay said. "The Bears heading to Detroit on Thanksgiving gives Chicago a massive opportunity. Ben Johnson is winless against Detroit. He's 0-2 and still looking for that big win over his former team. No better time to do it. Thanksgiving football is iconic. Beating a division rival on one of the NFL’s biggest stages would be a statement not just to the NFC North but to the entire league. If the Bears are truly ready to make the jump in 2026, these are the games that will tell the story."
Aside from the hatred the Bears and Packers have, this makes the most sense.
Ben Johnson did a lot of great things during his first year as head coach. The Bears won the NFC North and hosted a playoff game in the Wild Card round.
Chicago won its first playoff since 2010 after that wild, comeback win over Green Bay.
However, one thing that Johnson wasn't able to do was to beat the team he used to work for in the Lions. As we know, Johnson was the offensive coordinator there for many years before becoming the Bears' head coach.
He had two chances to beat the Lions last season.
In the first meeting in Week 2, Johnson and the Bears were obliterated. Chicago lost 52-21 on Johnson's homecoming. What made the loss even worse was that star cornerback Jaylon Johnson left the game with a groin injury and didn't come back into the lineup until Week 13.
The Bears got another shot at the Lions in the regular season finale in Week 18. That game was much closer and carried even more significance. With a win, the Bears could've secured a better playoff seed if the right things fell their way.
Chicago lost 19-16 on a game-winning field goal as time expired.
After losing not once, but twice to his former team, Johnson would definitely love to get the better of the Lions.
Aside from that, there's the chance to avenge the Bears' last Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions from 2024. Even though Johnson wasn't the head coach then, Bears fans have still thought about the coaching malpractice that Matt Eberflus had two years ago.
Beating the Lions twice this year alone would be a big achievement for Johnson, but doing it on Thanksgiving at the least would make all the difference to Bears fans.