CHICAGO — Excitement about the start of the Chicago Bears season just may be at its highest level since the 1980s – and that’s thanks to the rookie quarterback who many fans say they hope will be the one to lead the team back to the Super Bowl.
From murals to merchandise, excitement about the team just may be higher than at any point since the Mike Ditka era and there’s no raining on this parade.
The Monsters of the Midway are the talk of the town.
At WGN Radio, sports anchor Kevin Powell covers the Bears beat.
“Being at Halas Hall, we talked to some players this week, and they said this year just feels more fun already,” Powell said.
WGN Radio’s Kevin Powell: Bears have ‘fully invested’ in QB position this time around with Caleb Williams He says this year feels like a re-birth because the Bears may have finally found an answer to their decades-long problem at football’s most important position: quarterback.
“I understand why fans might be a little bit hesitant because they’ve been burned in the past. I think this is different this time around,” Powell said.
‘It’s go time’: Caleb Williams appears ready for the Chicago Bears season opener Caleb Williams, the headline generating No. 1 overall draft pick, Heisman Trophy winner, and newly-minted Bears team captain has brought a sense of command to the huddle, trust to the team, and swagger to the city.
The Bears dominated discussion of the NFL this offseason, controlling the NFL draft, unveiling plans for a new stadium, and then starring on HBO’s hit series “Hard Knocks.”
“They have kind of dominated the news cycle, and it is the Bears. They always do. But this time around it feels different,” Powell said. “Maybe no other rookie quarterback has entered a situation, like Caleb Williams has, with the receivers, the tight ends, and the running backs and all of those things we’ve been talking about.”
And it’s all encapsulated in William’s signature gesture – the claw.
Soldier Field’s chef Ryan Craig was at WGN Radio recently previewing the new menu items including an oversized pretzel inspired by the “Caleb Claw.”
“[The] Bears are expecting big things so the items got to be big time as well,” Craig said.
And Chicago restaurants are getting in on the fun, too.
At The Gage on South Michigan Avenue — walking distance from Soldier Field — Executive Chef Francisco Narez is cooking up competitive cuisine each week – with the restaurant’s famous “Bears Burger” facing off against a sandwich inspired by the hometown of the Bears opponent.
Bears hope to break trend after appearing on ‘Hard Knocks’ “This year, the opener is against Nashville so we’re doing a play ion the famous Prince’s hot chicken … and our Nashville hot sauce,” Narez said.
They’re also making a cinnamon bear claw pastry inspired by Williams.
Yes, the city is ready to bear down, and the only blues on the minds of fans are the classic navy home jerseys.
At Chicago Sports, the best seller is Williams’ No. 18 jersey.
“I mean it’s not even the first game and we’re almost sold out of the jerseys which is awesome, we haven’t had that in I don’t know how many years,” said store manager Mayra Cisneros.
At Chicago Sports, William’s jersey is even outselling the sainted hero of the ’85 Bears, Walter Payton.
This highly anticipated Bears season opens at Soldier Field at noon on Sunday with the Bears taking on the Tennessee Titans.
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