There was optimism in Chicago Bears fans’ eyes — and, apparently, the NFL’s — when the 2025 schedule was announced last week. 

Despite the Bears’ dismal 2024 season, the NFL is giving them five prime-time games this year: Week 1 at home against the Minnesota Vikings, Week 6 on the road against the Washington Commanders, Week 13 at the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Week 16 at home against the Green Bay Packers, and Week 17 on the road against the San Francisco 49ers.

Mike North, the NFL’s VP of broadcast planning, joined Marquee Sports Network’s “The Chicago Football Show” to give his take on the Bears’ heavy prime-time game load.

“We’ve got, as you well know, a lot more prime-time windows than we’ve ever had before, a lot more stand-alone windows that we’ve ever had before … there’s so many more mouths to feed,” North told Scott Bair, Carmen Vitali and Mike Norman. “We’re going to probably go to the well a little bit more often with some of the traditional strong national brands.”

Despite finishing last season with a 5-12 record, the Bears are tied with the Detroit Lions with the second-toughest strength of schedule (.571). The New York Giants have the toughest (.574).

With a lot of intrigue surrounding the Bears with new head coach Ben Johnson, how Caleb Williams can ascend in his second season, the acquisitions of offensive lineman Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, and veteran coordinator Dennis Allen running the defense, there’s a lot for Bears fans and the NFL to get behind in 2025.

[MORE: Bears game-by-game predictions after 2025 NFL schedule release]

“We were pretty in on the Bears last year coming off a seven-win season, adding Caleb [Williams], one of the most interesting offseason stories,” North said. “This year, we’ve seen a long history of quarterbacks make that jump from Year 1 to Year 2. You mention the head coach. He probably had his pick of jobs. …. He chose Chicago, and that means something.

“Obviously, the other three teams in the division all made the playoffs. So, there’s a lot of good games, a rotation through the NFC East, through the AFC North, there’s just so many good games on the schedule, it’s hard to not put them in the big windows.”

Fans certainly are eager for the Bears’ season to start, with anticipation and promise for the Monsters of the Midway.