The NFL is celebrating its 100th season and so are the Chicago Bears, charter members of the league who have been there since they were called the Decatur Staleys, the league was called the American Professional Football Association, and George Halas was a player and the head coach. As part of that celebration, the Bears will recognize each of their 10 decades of teams at a home game this year.
Taking center stage, being honored when the Bears play the Packers in the first game of the season on Thursday, September, 5, will be the 1980s Bears.
Making the 1980s Bears the highlight was a no-brainer, as the 1985 Bears were the only Bears team to win the Super Bowl and remain the most beloved team in franchise history. There’s no word yet on which members of that team will attend, but players like Mike Ditka, Jim McMahon and Refrigerator Perry are still Chicago icons, and the late Walter Payton will always have a special place in Bears fans’ hearts.
The celebration will get started with the 1920s Bears in the preseason opener, and then the 1950s Bears in the second home preseason game. No one is left from the 1920s team, and the Bears never won a championship in the 1950s, so those teams were chosen for the low-profile preseason games.
The 1930s Bears will be honored in Week Four, 1970s in Week Seven, 2000s in Week Eight, 1940s in Week 10, 1960s in Week 12, 1990s in Week 14 and 2010s in Week 16.
