The Chicago Bears have finished last place in the NFC North two years in a row. At times, their play has ranged from frustratingly “off” to laughably pathetic. That’s a harsh truth.
So, nobody should be too surprised that Chicago Bears fans are a little shell shocked when it comes to believing in their favorite team.
But the Bears are in a transition period where lots of good things are happening and there’s plenty of reason for optimism. From the drafting of quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze to the addition of veteran stars such as wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift, fans have every right to be excited about the season to come.
Fan polls have been showing this odd (but understandable) feelings-in-flux vibe regarding Bears fandom. Optimism with a side order of caution, reserve, and skepticism seems to be where the fans’ collective mind space is at.
Chicago Bears Fans, Some of the Most “Miserable?”
In a recent study by Casino.org, it was determined that the Bears have the ninth-most “miserable” fan base in the NFL.
In the study, 2,000 NFL fans were polled across the country and asked questions like “On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with your team’s performance over the past 5 years?” and “On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate the competence of your team’s management?” Then, the study analysts took the raw numbers and determined an overall “unhappiness score.”
In the study, Bears fans gave the team’s management a rating of 2.8 out of 5. They rated the team’s performance over the last five years a 2.2 out of 5. Also, over 51% of the fans polled didn’t trust Bears management to rurn the team around.
All together, the study showed Bears fans with a 89.37 unhappiness score out of 100.
A Fan Poll by The Athletic
In a poll conducted by The Athletic, over 4,000 fans responded to questions on a wide range of issues related to fan confidence and fan assessment of the team as a whole.
When asked about new QB1 Caleb Williams, Bears fans showed that they are absolutely excited and hoping for the best, but also cautious and careful about diving too deep into Caleb worship.
For the question “How confident are you that Caleb Williams will be a star (on a scale of 1 to 5)?,” 48.7% responded with a 4 and 15.5% said “5.”
For the question, “What best describes your feelings about Caleb Williams ahead of his rookie season?,” 65.3% chose “Cautiously Optimistic” with 25.5% picking “Head-over-heels excited.” When asked whether GM Ryan Poles made the right move in trading Justin Fields and drafting Williams, an overwhelming 89.8% said “yes.”
When asked, “Which veteran acquisition will make the biggest impact in 2024?,” 59.3% said that it was the trading for Keenan Allen. 21.4% said that signing of free agent D’Andre Swift would be the most impactful move.
62.4% of fans responding to “What’s your biggest gripe from the offseason?,” pointed to “Not enough was done to help the pass rush.” 35.9% of fans said that the offensive line was the position that concerned them most, with 31.6% indicating that their choice for most concerning position was defensive end.
The trend of cautious optimism continued with fans’ assessment of coaching and the front office, with 47.9% of respondents answering “How confident are you in Matt Eberflus as head coach?” with a 3 out of 5. Most fans rating president/CEO Kevin Warren issued a 3 or a 4 (35% answered with “3” and 32.9% gave Warren a 4).
Overall, Bears fans feel good about the direction of the team, but are still reeling from a bad stretch of team performance over the years. It’ll be interesting to check back with fans in a few months to see how their feelings have changed.
