BREAKING: ESPN NFL Pundits Predict Bears to Win 2026 Super Bowl, Caleb Williams for MVP
The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network is all over the Midway Monsters. Whoda thunk?
WHEN I SAY, “The Chicago Bears will win the 2026 Super Bowl,” it’s one thing.
But when a dude who actually knows what he’s talking about says, “The Chicago Bears will win the 2026 Super Bowl,” it carries more weight than the word of a Chicago-sports-truther-slash-Substack-guy. Like, way more weight.
To that end, let’s turn it over to Matt Bowen — an honest-to-goodness former NFL player and long-time ESPN analyst — who dropped a brave, brave Super Bowl LXI prediction:
“Bears over Bills. Chicago needs to add pass rushers, but the foundational players are there on offense under coach Ben Johnson. With quarterback Caleb Williams' playmaking ability, the Bears will beat Josh Allen and Joe Brady's Bills to win Super Bowl LXI.”
On the other hand, none of the other ten pundits who contributed to the article (“2026 NFL predictions: Super Bowl LXI picks, MVP candidates”) gave the Midway Monsters any SB love:
Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter: Rams over Broncos
Dan Graziano, national NFL reporter: Chiefs over Packers
Pamela Maldonado, sports betting analyst: 49ers over Bills
Eric Moody, fantasy analyst: Broncos over Seahawks
Jason Reid, Andscape senior NFL writer: Chiefs over Rams
Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst: Rams over Chargers
Ben Solak, NFL analyst: Texans over Rams
Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst: Commanders over Bills
Seth Walder, NFL analyst: Chargers over Packers
Field Yates, NFL analyst: Rams over Broncos
Graziano, however, has Bears signal caller Caleb Williams winning the MVP:
“I see the arrow pointing up for Williams with Ben Johnson and a Bears team that arrived well ahead of schedule. Williams has that fourth-quarter clutch gene, and even if the Bears fix their defense to where he doesn’t need as many clutch performances, he should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his abilities in a tough NFC North.”
Yates also threw the former Heisman Trophy winner some flowers, predicting the QB will become an All-Pro:
“There was a ton of good in Williams' second pro season but still so much room for growth. Williams' completion percentage will be the area that most point to, and I am bullish that number will improve dramatically next season. The Bears' offense should return mostly intact in 2026, and that familiarity will be instrumental in their franchise quarterback's development.”
Then again, it’s only February, so none of this should be considered a big deal.
Then again, it’s the 21st Century Chicago Bears.
So it is.