Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. The 2026 Chicago Bears are officially Super Bowl contenders. One week after a sensational primetime win over the New England Patriots, the Bears just took down the defending champion Seattle Seahawks in their own home, and they did it in dominant fashion. For those counting at home, that gives the Bears a win over each of last year’s Super Bowl teams.
On top of proving themselves as legit title contenders, the Bears also secured what could be a valuable tiebreaker for a potential Wild Card spot. If neither the Bears nor Seahawks win their division, this game could be the deciding factor on which team gets to keep dancing while the other starts their offseason early, and the Bears now have that win in their pocket.
But we’re still a ways away from playoff seeding. For now, the Bears and their fans can celebrate an impressive upset win played on the national stage. With that in mind, let’s hand out some game balls.
1. Caleb Williams
He may have missed three games, but Caleb Williams is undeniably an MVP candidate. He gave Seattle’s defense absolute fits all night, becoming the first quarterback to put up 200 passing yards against Seattle this season. But he didn’t stop there. Williams finished his night with 247 yards while completing 24 of 34 pass attempts. He only threw one touchdown, but he didn’t give the ball away and only took one sack.
After giving the best defense in the league more than they could handle, this first ball goes to Williams.
2. Jeffery Simmons
Welcome to Chicago, Mr. Simmons! The Bears’ blockbuster trade for Simmons paid dividends immediately as big No. 99 practically lived in Seattle’s backfield. He frequently lined up against second-year guard Gray Zabel who was making his first start at right guard, exploiting an unexpected advantage after the Seahawks’ Quenton Nelson trade.
Simmons finished his debut as a Bear and earns his first game ball with a sack, a quarterback hit, a pass deflection, and a pair of tackles for loss.
3. D’Andre Swift
Through most of tonight’s game, I didn’t believe Swift had done enough to earn a game ball despite his two touchdowns. He averaged less than three yards per carry in a game where the Bears could have really used some explosive gains on the ground, after all.
But his third touchdown of the night, which came with five minutes remaining and proved to be the dagger, was too much to ignore. Swift didn’t play his best game, but he showed up when it mattered the most, and that’s what counts. For that, Swift gets this last game ball, his first since that Week 1 thriller against the Carolina Panthers.
Honorable Mention: James Lynch, for securing his first career interception off a tipped pass by Austin Booker. His pick gave the Bears the ball inside Seattle’s 10-yard line with a 10-point lead and just six minutes left in the game. The rest is history.
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