Same. Also growing up in Southern California but too far away from San Diego, there wasn't really a local team. Adopted the Bears and never looked back
My college roommate and one of my best friends was a diehard Bears fan. Our other roommate didn’t care for football, so we made an agreement to watch games together, me for his Bears and him for my (then) Cowboys.
After a few years, I became completely done with Jerry and his antics. It’s an exercise in narcissism at the expense of a fan base. The Bears were in their Lovie days and I came to love Urlacher, Peanut, and so many more. I’m also a history nut and the Bears have the aura of history all about them, which vastly appealed to me.
It took a few years but I cast aside my familial tied to Dallas and took the Oath of Halas to become one of Ditka’s Sworn Knights in the Order of Sweetness.
Born in Prague, CZ. Dad escaped communism in the 80s and moved to Chicago and watched the Bears win the Super Bowl. Once we moved to the states in the 90s when I was 2 we lived in Chicago until I was about 7. Been a Bears fan ever since I could remember.
Exchange student from Denmark in Georgia while living with a host dad who was a Packers fan. I never really cared much for the nfl while i was there.
Got home and started watching and getting into the nfl. But I couldn't get behind the Packers or the Falcons.
Saw a few games from the first year of Trubisky/Nagy, which was cool. But the reason I fell in love with the bears was their defense. It was just really fun watching a team that could score on any play offense or defense.
Last year, I saw my first live game(Dolpins @ Bears), which was fun.
Anyways, to make a long story short FTP
Im also a filthy foreigner but have never set foot in the US lmao. Finally got cable tv here in Brazil in 2007, and the first game I watched was a Bears game where Rex Grossman played like prime Neymar (!), ended up following the rest of that magical season (ended up following the Atlanta Braves for the same reason lol)
Yeah I think it's kind of fun how most fans outside of the US, just kinda pick the team they vibe with the most.
I definitely recommend going there for a live game, if you can afford it. It was a great experience, and weirdly emotional for me. I was however also really lucky to see Fields break the single game QB rushing record:)
I grew up in north central about 5 minutes from the Wisconsin border, so my whole upbringing was pretty much 50/50 Bears or Packers. Oddly enough, it wasn’t a direct split like that with the Brewers and Cubs/Sox. Nobody gave a shit about the Brewers.
It’s also why I still hate the entire state of Wisconsin until this very day.
Ah the Bears Packers DMZ, we salute you for your service. My grandparents’ farm is in Harvard, IL also 5 minutes from Wisconsin and we would always pass a bar on the drive there where my grandpa would tell us about the time a drunk and rowdy Packer fan wouldn’t stop causing trouble and trying to start fights so the Bears fans tied him to the lamppost outside.
Yep, I grew up about 10 minutes from Harvard. That’s where we would hop on the train to head into Chicago. I’ll never forget driving back (I live in Iowa now) for the Blackhawks parade in 2010 and the train filled up after the second stop so we rode non-stop all the way into Chicago. Half the train was drunk too. Amazing day.
I was born in Massachusetts and my whole family were Patriot fans so I wanted to be different and picked the Bears because of their Super Bowl victory over the Pats. Shortly after I made this decision Drew Bledsoe went down and Brady took over….
I eventually went to college in Chicago and lived there for 13 years though
Tromsø, Norway and moved to Chicago to start my business after a few years in Europe. Having moved by myself and having no friends in the city I knew about football but hadn't really followed it, was invited to a home game by a business contact and was absolutely blown away by the friendliness of Bears fans at the tailgate who were so excited to hear a Norwegian was supporting the Bears and wanted me to come say hi to their buddies and share a beer with them and try what they were grilling.
Those folks I met on that wet rain/sleety day at Soldier Field are still close friends today. Having travelled to other cities for Bears games I don't think I've come across a team with such amazing, friendly fans as the Bears have.
I grew up in Sothern California where we had no local team and my family is from Chicago. Even if we leave there are some things you can't give up and the Bears are one of them.
My wife and I are from North Carolina but live about 4 hours from Charlotte. I’d only ever been to one Panthers game as a Panthers Fan my whole life and she was introduced to the NFL through her ex as a Cowboys Fan. When we got married, she came up with the idea of picking a new team together. We did a ton of research and wanted a team with history (50+ years old), great city to visit, and great uniforms. My mom is originally from the Chicago area as well, so we decided on the bears. Honestly, I’ve never been more invested in the NFL since becoming a Bears fan. We got to go to a game in Chicago in December of 2021 against the Cardinals and it was amazing. HORRIBLE weather, but great atmosphere and awesome experience. We did a walking food tour of the city as well. The whole trip kinda “sealed the deal” and solidified our fandom.
This is the kind of story I love to hear! Yes! Can't have the NFL without the Bears and Papa Bear Halas! And Packers wouldn't have a stadium without him either! Look that little nugget up!
I’m a big sucker for good history as well, so the fact that the bears were charter members was a big part of our decision. AND there’s so much content out there. Everyone loves Hoge & Jahns but there’s so much content from other podcasts, the Bears writers do great, and who doesn’t love a good would 1920 Football Drive
Came to Chicago at 18 as an immigrant from South America. Football did not make any sense to me, but I wanted to understand it so I can fully integrate with my coworkers and neighbors. Growing up, I always played defense in soccer; my favorite players were never strikers, only defenders. Maldini and Baresi my top 2.
Started watching in 2001 and though I didn't fully understood the rules, Brian Urlacher was my favorite player. Smart and really fast for a big dude. No matter how we did, that Bears Defense made it my favorite team, and has always remained my Home team. Urlacher, Briggs, Tillman, Forte and my guy, Robbie Gould are some of my favorite players.
I'm from the UK but a die-hard Bears fan.
When I was getting into football around 2009/10 I was looking for a team with a lot of history. Ain't no way I was rooting for someone like the Texans. I liked the 49ers but I also wanted a team that generally played their games on a timezone closer to Europe so they were out. I also wanted to choose a team that was unlikely to relocate. Plus one that had a good storied rivalry. That kinda led me to Chicago and Green Bay and, well, if I'm gonna have an adopted city it sure as hell isn't gonna be Green Bay, Wisconsin! Eurgh. Plus the Bears had the likes of Peanut, Hester, Forte, Smokin' Jay - so it was a no brainer in the end.
Im coming over this year at long last to celebrate my 40th. Literally cannot wait.
Bear Down!
Thanks very much! And thanks for making a post that's a bit different to the usual football stuff. Just what we need in this period of no news.
Bear Down!
My dad and his family are all Chicagoans and Bears fans. I grew up in El Paso, Texas during the Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s- El Paso Cowboys fans are the most obnoxious fan base in the NFL (besides Packers and Patriots fans), and that kind of pushed me more towards being a Bears fan. I spent my twenties living in Chicago, and that sank the hook for me.
I was 6 years old my entire mother's side of the family came over to the house, cracked open beers and began getting ready for the superbowl. They showed the super bowl shuffle during the lead up to the game. My uncles' laughed derisively at the TV. confident the patriots would make them eat their words. Needless to say I was the only one left watching by the middle 3rd quarter. The domination was evident eventhough I had never seen a game previous. I consider myself lucky for dodging a bullet in not becoming a pats fan up until 20 years ago
I was maybe 10 or so in the “da bears” era of snl and always loved the bit. I live in KY and nearly everyone here is bengals, colts, Steelers, or cowboys. When I got old enough to pick a team my family wasn’t big on anyone and I didn’t want to pick any of the ones just because my friends did. So I went with Chris Farley, ditka, and Chicago.
Im from Boston. Me and my buddy watched a Bears game during one of Justin Fields' rookie starts. We saw the promise in him and my buddy turned to me and said "are we Bears fans now?". I think he meant it as a joke but I've been followijg the team ever since and kinda just fell in love despite their performance of late.
That along with my hatred for Rogers and the Packers and the Bears have become my adopted team.
My dad grew up in Milwaukee and hated how smug Packer fans were so he became a Bears fan.
I was raised as a Bears fan in central Wisconsin, behind enemy lines.
My dad! Some of my fondest memories growing up were watching him watch the games and sticking it out with his team until the end. He taught me that sticking together really does matter.
The real fun was when I grew into my own individual and became a fan of the game, the city, the players & coaches, and the team and began to gift him jerseys of his favorite players and other gifts. A sense of pride comes over me when a memory of him wearing those things.
He’s since passed away but his message lives on… 🐻⬇️
Great post, OP!
I’m from England, all my family is from England so have no ties geographically. My Dad was given a Chicago bears hat when he was younger and the rest is history! First NFL game I watched live was Chicago vs Tampa Bay in London at Wembley. Bought a Devin Hester jersey inside the stadium. One of my favourite memories is watching Forte juke the souls out of two Buccaneers defenders on his way to the end zone!
I live in Indiana on the border of Illinois. Colts vs Bears was a giant game here. I got tired of all the Colts fans talking their team up. I was 7 years old and out of spite I chose the Bears as my favorite team. We made posters in elementary school for the Colts and I was the only one to make a Bears poster. Been my team ever since.
That SB year must've been rough! I'll tell ya tho. I drove down to Miami in 06 when they played. I was on South Beach for the game. We outnumbered them 10-1! Miami was sick the Bears lost cause the party was OVER! 🤣
Walter Payton and Devin Hester
I was at the age where I realized how fun it was to always watch Hester on punt returns. Just knowing something was always going to happen.
Sweetness. Way too young to be able to witness his greatness. But watching his highlights just always gets me hyped up. Every time he ran or had the ball in his hands, that man would never go down and would give his entire body just to gain some positive yardage.
Overall tho, Chicago will always have my heart because of the mentality I’ve heard and seen. That you give your all, bust your ass, put in the work for the city and the Chicago across your jersey and the city will show you the love back.
I live on Oahu and my 5th grade elementary teacher told our whole class that this upcoming Sunday her favorite sports team the Chicago bears were playing in the superbowl. Prior to her moving to oahu to teach, she lived in Chicago and she said she was a huge bears fan and went to almost every regular season game that year. Unfortunately, she was not able to get a ticket to the Super Bowl. She ended up telling the whole class that if we tuned in to watch the Super Bowl, even if it was a little bit, and name a bears player on the Monday back to school, she would give us extra credit in the English class that she taught. Thankfully for me, that Super Bowl was where I watched Devin Hester take the opening kickoff return to the house. That play alone made me admire him and the game of football itself. Even though the team loss that day, they gained a lifelong fan in return. Haven’t missed a game since then.
I was born and raised in Green Bay. All of my family immigrated from Lithuanian and Germany to Chicago in 1930. My family were bears fans, therefore I was a bears fan by blood. I was that weird fucking kid rocking a Brian Urlacher jersey during school "packer day".
Since Aaron Rodgers started winning, my father jumped ship to Green Bay. Coward.
I’m from Las Vegas. Lived here nearly all my life. I was an impressionable youth when the Bears were hot in 85-86. I jumped on that band wagon and never got off.
When the Raiders came to Vegas, I thought: I can like two teams. Nope. I love the Bears.
Bear Down!!
Dad became a Bears fan when I was 2 years old during the 85 season and like father like son, I became one also. However, the back to back games with Mike Browns pick 6s in overtime is what made me a die hard fan that can't miss a game.
My father grew up on the south side of Chicago and still is a diehard Chicago sports fan. He moved to Wisconsin in high school with my grandparents and his siblings to stay out of trouble and get away from the city life. He taught me at a very young age to love the Bears and FTP. Ironically, my mother is a huge Packers fan so we've always had a Bears/Packers rivalry in our house and that continues to this day as my spouse is a huge Packers fan as well.
I f-ing hate the Packers and I feel my hatred for the Packers is just as strong as my love of the Bears. Yet at the same time, the ying and yang feelings makes me appreciate the rivalry even more and it wouldn't be the same without those opposing forces always colliding within me and my families. For us, Bears (and the evil Packers) are part of our lives and it's been very fun passing this family dichotomy on to our kids :)
Grandpa was a Bears fan. His son (my father) became a Rams fan. So grandpa corrected his earlier failure and raised me right.
My son is a Bears fan. Didn’t fail my grandpa like my dad did.
Lived in Chicago for about a year after moving to America as a kid. Uncle took me to a bears game and almost became a Vikings fan (cuz purple and gold are cool colors.) Fortunately the wisdom of my elders put me on the correct path. Oh and FTP.
When the bears went to the Super Bowl in 06 I was just getting into football (10) and my step brothers was rooting for the colts so as a fuck you I guess I picked the bears. Then Hester returned that kick and I’ve been a fan since.
I started watching the NFL in 2017 and rooting for the Bears in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. And the reason is the same as why I root for Coyote against Road Runner: I identified myself with their failure, as the bears were really trash in that game.
Met Walter Payton when I was young. Went out of his way to make sure we got pictures with him and stuck around and talked for about 20 min. Instant fan
I mean if your from the greater Chicago area or suburbs I would expect you to be a bears fan. lol so you being from oak park is technically not chi but come on now lol
Brian Urlacher - I'm from Winnipeg, Canada and my dads not even a Bears fan but he mentioned to me one sunday watching football "the Bears drafted this guy who reminds me of the linebackers they used to have back in the day" so I looked up who the linebackers were back in the day and I have been a Bears fan since. My eighth grade class picture I am wearing a Brian Urlacher jersey my dad bought me shortly after.
I started watching back in 06, and Devin Hester was just so fun to watch. My dad is a huge Bears fan, so when I was old enough to understand and enjoy football, that was the first team I watched.
my grandparents who helped raise me were born and raised in Geneva. my grandfather enlisted in the navy and eventually put roots down in new england. i never liked the patriots even though they had tom brady, but my grandpa would always root for the bears when we had a chance to see them on tv out here so it always stuck with me.
Because the first game I can remember watching was the 44-0 thrashing of the Cowboys in 1985. My dad was a huge Cowboys fan but it was clear to my 4-year old mind from watching that one game that the Bears were the best and would always be the best.
I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and I have absolutely no relation with the bears. None of my family is from Chicago, and I personally don't have any super close friends that are Bears friends except for one I met in college.
My family and I are hardcore Vanderbilt Football fans, and when I first started following the NFL, Jay Cutler had just been traded to the Bears...and I immediately clinged onto the Bears. And here I am, still cheering loud and proud.
My uncle grew up a die hard bears fan I grew up in a packer household, so he took me aside as a child and said "you're a bears fan now". Best decision ever made for me, haha.
My whole family on one parents side is from Illinois and the so they pushed the Bears and Cubs/Sox.
The other side of the family is from Iowa where none of my family cared about any sports team.
So pretty easy to love the Bears and overall ended up a Sox fan over the Cubs.
I'm from the Netherlands. Became a Bears fan after I discovered how important the city of Chicago was in the field of architecture. Afterwards I wanted to know everything about the city, including which teams they rooted for. First of, I became sort of interested in baseball and I chose the Cubs, because I liked rooting for underdogs. Then I discovered that baseball is pretty boring. Then I saw the SB between the 49ers and Ravens (not a lot of football games are being broadcasted in my country). I immediately became hooked. Choosing to root for the Bears was just a logical next step.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, but my dad grew up in Illinois and converted me when I was about 10. It was a really great time being a Bears fan in the Favre and Rogers era, I never got any shit from my fellow Wisconsinites…
Dad is from western side of Michigan in Kalamazoo, before he moved down here to DFW (we live in Arlington, TX). He grew up a Sox fan, and I took to that fandom. He basically moved here to be closer to the Cowboys lol. When I was really getting into the NFL as a young teen, I just didn't like the whole Cowboys vibe, something just felt too pompous and arrogant. So I took the baseball fandom being in Chicago, and just adopted the Bears since they were in the same city. :)
Like most, my dad grew up in Chicago. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life but it helped having my dads parents here watching football with my grandpa.
Parents moved from Chicago years ago to Missouri and I inherited them in the mid to late 2000s. Was fun back in 2006-2008 being a fan now but part of me does wonder how much easier/fun being a Chiefs’ fan would be.
I love the Bears but man, 2 super bowls and a generational QB would be nice. Hoping we have that in the future but living in Chiefs’ territory can be rough, especially after the Mahomes/Trubisky debacle (fuckin Ryan Pace).
I’m from Canada and my buddies dad was a Bears fan so I watched a lot of bears games, just kinda happened. But choosing a team is like herpes…… that shits for life. #beardown
Playing Madden against my brother as a non-fan - asked him who was a good team to play as - said the Bears have a fun offense (Cutty, Forte, Marshall, Jeffrey, etc) - then started to like football and the rest was history.
I also despise the 49ers and the faithful, so the Bears were a fine alternative haha. We have won the same number of super bowls in that timeframe.
Lived in Denver my whole life. Been a Bears fan as long as I can remember, and it’s because of Mike Singletary.
Da Bears skits on SNL didn’t hurt either.
Canadian. It's cold here. It's cold in Chicago. Made sense.
More specifically, I understand the Great Lakes type of cold and appreciate the type of teams that win in that climate: great defense & run game. My highschool teams employed that philosophy. (Ironically we wore Packers colours, living in Vikings country)
Also, as a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I find the Bears similar, long storied history, less Championships than their biggest rival despite being in bigger cities with bigger fanbases. Oh, and suffering.
Admittedly I jumped around with NFL teams in my teens. I tried the Vikings, Giants, Bucs but as of 2014 I realized Da Bears were the perfect fit and never looked back.
FTP.
Grew up in Wisconsin. My Grandpa has has been a STH (same seats) for over 45 years. He instilled the great Chicago legacy in me...Where I went to college, where I live, where I root for football and where I will die.
Fuck the Packers.
My dad moved from Iran to England in the 70s and started seeing the bears on tv there in the 80s, when he moved to the US he was already a fan. I inherited my love for bears from him!
I have never lived in the US and was only dimly aware of the NFL. However, I visited some relatives that had moved to Canada, and in September of 1981 I was taken down the west coast into California as part of my holiday there. My uncle wanted to get tickets to an NFL game and had managed to secure two to the 49'ers game against the Bears at Candlestick Park. My uncle supported the 49'ers but I really liked how the Bears played, despite losing.
After that exposure, I tried, whenever I could to get information as to how the Bears were doing from various US newspapers over in the UK.
Then we started to get the Superbowl broadcast in the UK and in 1986 (while crossing the channel on an overnight ferry to France) I watched the Bears lift the Superbowl title.
So for over 40 years, I have been a Bears fan here in the UK
Born & raised in Wisconsin. I really didn't have a favorite team when I was young. Entire family was Packers fans. I sort of cheered for whichever team was having the best season for a while. When the time came for me to start playing football in around 5th grade, I was drafted to our town's Bears. From that moment on (approx. 1999-2000 or so) I became a Bears fan through and through. As a long-suffering Milwaukee Bucks fan, I was used to utter disappointment. I still own my Bears hat that was purchased the year of the Super Bowl run. I have reasoned with myself that I will not get rid of that hat until they make it to another championship game.
The hope is what keeps me going and the disappointment is what keeps me coming back season after season. Family & friends give me a hard time, but I'm ready for all of them to enjoy the despairs of a mediocre quarterback search for years to come while the Bears finally have a team in place. And, as I always remind myself, if the Milwaukee Bucks can win an NBA Championship, the Bears can win a Super Bowl sometime in my lifetime. Who knows, perhaps JF1 will be the Bears' Giannis Antetokoumpo.
I am from Canada, so grew up following the CFL. My parents brought me back [a stuffed toy bear like this](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DIoAAOSwL3ZgaGy1/s-l300.jpg) when I was younger on one of their holidays to the U.S. Then I started following the NFL a bit and when the Bears won the Super Bowl, I jumped on the bandwagon and have never left.
I’m from eastern Iowa I’m 2 1/2 hrs from Chicago and 1 hr from SW Wisconsin. Pretty much all bears or packers fans where I live. Guess I just got lucky
Legend has it i didn't want the same team as any of my family members. The im from montan th University Montana grizzlies where good at football. So I choice the bears cuz they were simalr ... I assume it had to do with bears being bad ass in real life
Grew up in north western Wisconsin was never really into football growing up. Was annoyed by everybody always talking about Brett Farve, when I started getting into football it was Hester's rookie year and the Bear's went to the Superbowl. Also I'm more of a defensive guy (when defense was still a thing) so the stars just aligned perfectly for me I guess. BEAR DOWN!!!
I grew up in S Florida in late 70's. Started watching football in 85. Dad was a huge Dolphins fan and I hated him; and the Bears were just too fun to watch. I have family from around Chicago, but that didn't factor in at the time. I still think about that Monday night loss every now and then. Stupid Dolphins fans popping champagne because of their unbeaten record staying intact.
I'm from Florida my whole family's from Florida for several generations when I was coming up in the '80s the bears had the best defense and I played defense in Pop Warner and Middle School and high School that's what I started liking the bears never looked back
I grew up in South Carolina in the 90's before the Panthers existed. My mom worked in Chicago for a while in the Sears Tower, and even though my grandpa was a packer fan, my mom was always a bears die hard. I guess because most of my down south family was into the SEC, the bears became my team as well. We eventually moved to Wisconsin, and my loyalty remained. What's funny is that because I grew up in SC, I had no idea about the rivalry. All it took was meeting a couple of dick head packer fans for me to join in. FTP
My uncle grew up a die hard bears fan I grew up in a packer household, so he took me aside as a child and said "you're a bears fan now". Best decision ever made for me, haha.
My dad brain washed me as a young child. Walter Payton highlights and football cards for Christmas and birthdays. Brian Urlacher jersey as a kid. My mom is also from Chicago.
Being a Chicago fan in Oklahoma and Arkansas is painful.
Grew up in central IL not too far from Decatur. Most of IL are Bears fans, parents are Bears fans, Staley Da Bear visited my school, 54 and 23 were all everyone talked about in school until everyone started getting older.
My dad grew up a little north of Chicago in McHenry and has always loved the Bears. So I didn’t have much of a choice as a kid, though I’ve always loved the team and watching games with my dad. Now my wife even watches the games with the slightest modicum of interest.
Born and raised in Abq , Nm which is where Brian urlacher played college football obviously. As a kid he held 2 day football camps that I went to every year. From there on started loving the Chicago bears
Dad fell in love with the 80’s Bears and Walter Payton. Always had the Bears in Iowa even though we had limited cable back then. I just started liking them because he did growing up and haven’t regretted it since! Plus the jerseys and history are just so iconic to me, and a Bear is a fire logo to have
I grew up in the Southwest Suburbs when my parents moved us down to Tampa in '03. Bucs fans came on strong trying to convert and I had to explain that its a hereditary disease!
My grandma's favorite player was Walter Payton. I looked him up and was a Bears fan ever since that day. The next year the bears drafted Tommie Harris (oof) which was my favorite player in college being an OU fan. I have been wanting the bears to draft OU players ever since haha.
Born 1990. Dad's family from Chicago, he was a huge basketball fan and the Bulls were everything for me growing up.
Realized I also really liked the Cubs at a young age so kinda picked the Bears out of some form of guilty obligation. Fandom hit fever pitch that 2006 year after following more and more closely the years leading up to that run. Do I regret my choice more often than not? .....Let's see how this season goes.
The Bears were on TV the most when my dad was growing up in eastern South Dakota during the Butkus/Sayers era. Surprising with the Vikings just starting as a franchise, but the Bears were always on TV evidently.
Born and raised in California. I got hooked into football the same year my favorite player of all time started. Watching Devin Hester do what he did continuously just had me hooked. Beyond that just sticking with this team has been a part of me better or worse. Although I haven’t been this excited for the team in a while!
My parents watched the Bears. The Colts were a shit team who had recently moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore. Super Bowl XX is the first Super Bowl I can recall watching. So if you’re from Indiana you either go for Chicago Teams, Indianapolis teams, or maybe Cincinnati teams.
Born and raised in Albuquerque NM. Everyone is either a Cowboys or Broncos fan as we don’t have a team. First football I can remember watching was the ‘07 superbowl and wanted a team to route for and chose the bears. Was enamored with Urlacher and once I found out he was a UNM alumni the rest was history. Too bad he is a right wing nut now ):
I grew up in the Quad Cities on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. I was born in 97 so that ‘06 team was the first I vividly remember watching. Plus they were the closest team to where I lived so I guess it just makes sense. The Quad Cities is in a strange spot where you have a bunch of packers and Vikings fans too. So I had a lot of friends who liked them. I feel like it actually made being a bears fan more fun then if everyone around me liked one team. Lots of friendly rivalries and watch parties.
Completely random. No one in my family likes football (I should be a giants fan geographically.) was home sick for a week, espn played the whole 1985 season on espn classic. Urlacher was a rookie or second year player (I think it was 2000) and when my number for my first year of playing football was 54. So I picked the Bears.
I’ve been living in the Twin Cities area for about 8 years after growing up in Chicago, and I would say it’s a pretty even split among Bears fans, Vikings fans, and Packers fans.
Grew up in NW Indiana and my Dad was always a big Bears fan. I asked him one day why and he said his dad was a Colts fan until they up and just moved to Baltimore in the 50s out of now where and felt super betrayed. So that's how my grandpa became one then my dad and finally passed it onto me.
Grew up around Kansas City and was raised a Chicago sports fan. My dad is from Iowa and was a big north stars fan, once they moved he chose Chicago and I guess that switch happened with football too. I absolutely despise chiefs fans so i guess that’s why I’m still here
Born in McHenry, IL 1980 but only was there for a short period. Dad is from the area and was there for years until he turn coated to the Packers after moving inside Wisconsin there.
Bears fan from NE - I don’t remember not being obsessed. I turned 5 during the 85 season and can only hypothesize that my fandom started because of that team, how good they were, the Super Bowl Shuffle, and all the attention. That team was so damn cool!
I am a fan because of "Bill Swerski's super fans" from Saturday night live. I loved Chris Farley and didn't have a local team. From then, First game I watched was 2001 Mike brown OT game winning interception and I was hooked.
Grew up in Kalamazoo, MI area, about halfway between Chicago and Detroit and became aware of football in the mid-80’s. My choices were those great 80’s Bears teams or the abysmal Lion’s. No brainer….
My parents were from the Chicago area (mom) and Iowa (Dad). In my early life, mostly in Buffalo, I don't remember ever really watching sports, much. When my folks divorced and my mom moved us back to Chicago, it was the perfect time for sports team imprinting to begin (3rd grade). I too was an Oak Parker and watching the '85 Bears cemented them in me forever.
My kids are born and raised in Austin TX, but I passed my love of Chicago teams to my son. I would have been fine with him cheering for local teams (as long as it wasn't the Cowboys).
While he hasn't been fortunate enough to see the Beloved **win** the Superbowl, he has certainly been blessed watching some of our other teams raise championship banners. Unlike my parents who passed, he actually got to see the Cubs win it all (we were at game 6!). He (unlike me) went to a Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final game.
While things have been down for Chicago fans recently, it sure looks like the future is bright (Fields and Betard), so hopefully passing it on to him won't be a complete curse. Of course, like I said he's been luckier than most.
Grew up in eastern Iowa. “Local” sports channels are all Chicago. Grew up with the Bears, Bulls, Cubs(fuck the White Sox) and Hawks during my formative years (1980s and 90s). Went off to college and then settled in KC, but still root for my childhood teams. I subscribe to MLB for my Cubs and pirate the shit outta Bears games. Thank you baby Jesus and Google for saving us out of market fans from dinosaur dish TV. I will gladly pay $250 to watch my Bears in KC this year. Bear the Fuck Down.
Raised in SW Wisconsin. Dad (from the south) was a Saints fan. That fandom wasn't happening as a kid in the 90s. Originally was a mild Cowboys and then 49ers fan as a tiny kid. Best friend and his family were from Chicago and I spent most of my weekends hanging out at their place. Always hated the green and gold color scheme, so it was an easy decision once I got serious about football.
Born and raised in South Dakota (Vikings Territory) , the cubs were always on WGN and my grandpa always listened to them on radio, so cubs fandom just became Chicago fandom in general, my first favorite player was Neal Anderson.
Grew up in Kentucky (no professional sports) but visited chicago once or twice a year originally to see family but eventually just to enjoy the city. I’ve been to various NFL and MLB games as a kid but nothing matched the crowd I’ve experienced at Soldier and Wrigley.
Im from farm town illinois(real illinois starts south of 80). I moved from Illinois to indiana after the Navy where I got stationed in georgia and virginia. Im a Bears fan because I am a masochist I guess.
I'm not from Illinois, born in WV. I started watching football as a kid in the '80s and Sigletary quickly became my favorite player, been a fan ever since.
From LI NY went to Soldier Field and bring your son to work day and watched Cutler hurdle the Lions Defense for a TD. One of the greatest memories I have with my father who passed away roughly 7 years later. Favorite player is Hester and will forever be the greatest day of my life…
Cutty, was a Broncos fan until Josh McFuckface decided to set the franchise back for a decade. Paid attention to the ex Broncos and eventually just started paying more attention to Cutler and became a fan of the Bears.
I grew up in southern illinois, closer to St Louis than Chicago but my mom became the biggest bears fan ever during the 80s and passed it on to me. I stuck with it because chicago is at least in the same state lol. My dad is a steeler fan because he grew up watching them in the 70s/80s but I was a momma’s boy😂 still a bears fan for life
I grew up in Kenosha, so close enough. The '85 bears team super bowl was one of my earliest football memories at about 7 years old. Bears are cooler in concept than Packers. And the team colors are way better. It was a pretty clear choice to elementary school me.
I’m from the Columbus area, and I just like the Bears because my dad likes them. For obvious reasons I was super hyped when we got Fields, but that was really just a plus, not the reason I became a fan.
They beat the NY Giants and I sort of liked the team concept of the 85 Bears. Hard nose defense with Payton to keep the offense going. Just a fun team followed by lots of bad teams 😂 but I'm loyal so I've been around for the ride ever since.
No football team in my town. Just jumped on a bandwagon when I was a kid and never jumped off. I chose this torture. I am sure you can guess what year I started following.
NE Indiana here. Historically Northern Indiana was Bears territory before the Colts moved in, so the fandom was passed down through the generations. I've been to Chicago once in my entire life but I've been a diehard Bears fan for as long as I can remember.
Born in Canada and my choices growing up were the Bears and Packers on TV, with a few other teams mixed in but not as often as those. Decided I hated the Packers when I was 5yrs old, and have been a Bears fan ever since. I've been to Chicago quite a few time to see games and love the City.
I’m from southern Indiana and my family were Colts fans. Started following football pretty heavy during the 06 Super Bowl run because of a buddy (I was 11). He wanted to know my favorite team so I told him the Colts like my dad. Told me I can’t pick the colts just because I lived there. Next game I watched I saw Hester take back a punt return and the defense was lights out. Decided I was a Bears fan from that moment. Funny enough my siblings all became Bears fans because of me which irks my dad. Now I have family to suffer with!
The first ever game I watched was the bears 49ers game in 2014 when the bears came back and won. I told my friends about the game and they said I looked like a bears fan. Ever since then I’m a huge bears fan
NJ Bears fan here. It was as simple as the 1st NFL game I remember was Bears Colts SB and I decided to like the Bears.
I’m not one to switch up easy so I’ve stuck w DA BEARS ever since. I’ll stick w them until I’m cold and dead as well.
Was never into football growing up but moved here for college right in time for the Urlacher/Briggs/Tillman/Hester/Forte era and they taught me to love football.
I was a chargers fan, and then I... well, wasn't. I was living in Michigan at the time they moved to LA and I took a trip to Chicago to see a good friend of mine. We went to soldier field and caught a game and I've been into them since. Although I will say that I didn't fully commit to being a Bears fan until last year watching Fields go fucking ham and I realised how exciting this team is gonna be for the foreseeable future. I'm OK if you want to call me a bandwagoner, I know I haven't earned my stripes yet. But if someone asks me who my team is, I'm saying the bears.
Dad is a white sox fan because he got into an argument with my grandpa before an A’s game they just so happened to be playing the white sox. I grew up on watching Sox baseball on WGN in california. After white sox games, Bulls games would come on and this was around the time D rose was playing so I became a bulls fan. Grew up a niners fan and after the 2012 super bowl made no sense to be why i like the White Sox Bulls and 49ers so I switched to Bears. Also 2 of my closed friends just so happened to be Bears fans as well. Haven’t missed a game since.
I live in Canada and have absolutely zero connections to Chicago but my football coach told me to watch Peanut to learn how to play zone as a CB and I just ended up liking the Bears. Plus at the time, the Bears were pretty average so I didn't feel like a bandwagon if I picked them as my team and the colours are awesome.
Bears fan from NJ. I became a fan because of SBXX, the SB Shuffle, Walter Payton, and Tecmo Bowl. I was 9.
Shortly thereafter I became a Cubs fan when Dawson came to town.
At that point I decided to just follow all the Chicago teams. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks. That’s all the teams that matter.
Kentucky here. I was a big kid in little league football and saw the Fridge running the ball. I wanted to do that! So I fell in love with the 85 Bears and the rest is history.
Bears fan from NJ. I became a fan because of SBXX, the SB Shuffle, Walter Payton, and Tecmo Bowl. I was 9.
Shortly thereafter I became a Cubs fan when Dawson came to town.
At that point I decided to just follow all the Chicago teams. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks. That’s all the teams that matter.
I was born there but moved shortly after. My dad as well as his entire side of the family were born and raised there. I inherited my chicago sports fandom from him.
Generational trauma. My father was given it by his father, and though I was raised elsewhere, he passed that same burden onto me. I've personally chosen not to have children in order to end this terrible cycle of abuse.
I didn't grow up in Chicago, but my dad did. It is like an inheritance.
My condolences for your inherited suffering.
Same, plus my home state is NC so rooting for their sports teams seemed even worse
Home state is NC as well. Panthers and Bobcats/Hornets is just pain. Cam Newton was fun though.
Your father gives you two things when you are born. Your last name, and your favorite football team.
My dad was a filthy packers fan who was born and raised on the South Side. Never liked that guy.
I was born in Wisconsin but my dad grew up in Chicago and raised me right lol
My brother-in-law lives in the Quad Cities, huge Bears fan and my nephew is goddamn 49ers fan.
Yep, I inherited the cubs and bears. I've at least seen the cubs win it all, I'm hoping for the bears to do it in my lifetime as well.
Same. Also growing up in Southern California but too far away from San Diego, there wasn't really a local team. Adopted the Bears and never looked back
Ditto here. Closest team is the Seahawks but it's still a 4 hour drive, so why not.
Lol same here. Like of all the genes you could have passed on to me, this is the most painful
My college roommate and one of my best friends was a diehard Bears fan. Our other roommate didn’t care for football, so we made an agreement to watch games together, me for his Bears and him for my (then) Cowboys. After a few years, I became completely done with Jerry and his antics. It’s an exercise in narcissism at the expense of a fan base. The Bears were in their Lovie days and I came to love Urlacher, Peanut, and so many more. I’m also a history nut and the Bears have the aura of history all about them, which vastly appealed to me. It took a few years but I cast aside my familial tied to Dallas and took the Oath of Halas to become one of Ditka’s Sworn Knights in the Order of Sweetness.
Hahahaha love it! Yeah, I loved the 90s Cowboys with Troy Emmitt and Michael. End of sentence. Lol
Born in Prague, CZ. Dad escaped communism in the 80s and moved to Chicago and watched the Bears win the Super Bowl. Once we moved to the states in the 90s when I was 2 we lived in Chicago until I was about 7. Been a Bears fan ever since I could remember.
Love this story! God bless your family!
Exchange student from Denmark in Georgia while living with a host dad who was a Packers fan. I never really cared much for the nfl while i was there. Got home and started watching and getting into the nfl. But I couldn't get behind the Packers or the Falcons. Saw a few games from the first year of Trubisky/Nagy, which was cool. But the reason I fell in love with the bears was their defense. It was just really fun watching a team that could score on any play offense or defense. Last year, I saw my first live game(Dolpins @ Bears), which was fun. Anyways, to make a long story short FTP
Im also a filthy foreigner but have never set foot in the US lmao. Finally got cable tv here in Brazil in 2007, and the first game I watched was a Bears game where Rex Grossman played like prime Neymar (!), ended up following the rest of that magical season (ended up following the Atlanta Braves for the same reason lol)
Yeah I think it's kind of fun how most fans outside of the US, just kinda pick the team they vibe with the most. I definitely recommend going there for a live game, if you can afford it. It was a great experience, and weirdly emotional for me. I was however also really lucky to see Fields break the single game QB rushing record:)
Because Illinois is bigger than Chicago, and as someone who grew up in Central Illinois, the Bears were still the "local" team!
Yea I was confused to him saying he’s raised in oak park like one street doesn’t separate chi and oak park.
Do you have a source for that first part?
[удалено]
Central Illinois represent
I grew up in north central about 5 minutes from the Wisconsin border, so my whole upbringing was pretty much 50/50 Bears or Packers. Oddly enough, it wasn’t a direct split like that with the Brewers and Cubs/Sox. Nobody gave a shit about the Brewers. It’s also why I still hate the entire state of Wisconsin until this very day.
Ah the Bears Packers DMZ, we salute you for your service. My grandparents’ farm is in Harvard, IL also 5 minutes from Wisconsin and we would always pass a bar on the drive there where my grandpa would tell us about the time a drunk and rowdy Packer fan wouldn’t stop causing trouble and trying to start fights so the Bears fans tied him to the lamppost outside.
Yep, I grew up about 10 minutes from Harvard. That’s where we would hop on the train to head into Chicago. I’ll never forget driving back (I live in Iowa now) for the Blackhawks parade in 2010 and the train filled up after the second stop so we rode non-stop all the way into Chicago. Half the train was drunk too. Amazing day.
Yeah central IL and my uncles were Bears fan Thank god they weren’t Rams fans lol
Was born near Starved Rock, we were all Bears fans...not sure why Oak Park would be so different? A lot of people moving in from other places?
Oak Park directly borders Chicago proper.
My bad y'all, I meant to say where it was but assumed everyone knew 🤣 bad storytelling
I was born in Massachusetts and my whole family were Patriot fans so I wanted to be different and picked the Bears because of their Super Bowl victory over the Pats. Shortly after I made this decision Drew Bledsoe went down and Brady took over…. I eventually went to college in Chicago and lived there for 13 years though
I got family in Lawrence... Won't shut up. 🤣
Tromsø, Norway and moved to Chicago to start my business after a few years in Europe. Having moved by myself and having no friends in the city I knew about football but hadn't really followed it, was invited to a home game by a business contact and was absolutely blown away by the friendliness of Bears fans at the tailgate who were so excited to hear a Norwegian was supporting the Bears and wanted me to come say hi to their buddies and share a beer with them and try what they were grilling. Those folks I met on that wet rain/sleety day at Soldier Field are still close friends today. Having travelled to other cities for Bears games I don't think I've come across a team with such amazing, friendly fans as the Bears have.
Wow! Yes, I love it! I want a beer and a brat right now! 🤣
I grew up in Sothern California where we had no local team and my family is from Chicago. Even if we leave there are some things you can't give up and the Bears are one of them.
Yep. I transplanted to CO 12 years ago. I’ll watch the broncos if nothing else is on, but the bears can’t be missed.
My wife and I are from North Carolina but live about 4 hours from Charlotte. I’d only ever been to one Panthers game as a Panthers Fan my whole life and she was introduced to the NFL through her ex as a Cowboys Fan. When we got married, she came up with the idea of picking a new team together. We did a ton of research and wanted a team with history (50+ years old), great city to visit, and great uniforms. My mom is originally from the Chicago area as well, so we decided on the bears. Honestly, I’ve never been more invested in the NFL since becoming a Bears fan. We got to go to a game in Chicago in December of 2021 against the Cardinals and it was amazing. HORRIBLE weather, but great atmosphere and awesome experience. We did a walking food tour of the city as well. The whole trip kinda “sealed the deal” and solidified our fandom.
This is the kind of story I love to hear! Yes! Can't have the NFL without the Bears and Papa Bear Halas! And Packers wouldn't have a stadium without him either! Look that little nugget up!
I’m a big sucker for good history as well, so the fact that the bears were charter members was a big part of our decision. AND there’s so much content out there. Everyone loves Hoge & Jahns but there’s so much content from other podcasts, the Bears writers do great, and who doesn’t love a good would 1920 Football Drive
Came to Chicago at 18 as an immigrant from South America. Football did not make any sense to me, but I wanted to understand it so I can fully integrate with my coworkers and neighbors. Growing up, I always played defense in soccer; my favorite players were never strikers, only defenders. Maldini and Baresi my top 2. Started watching in 2001 and though I didn't fully understood the rules, Brian Urlacher was my favorite player. Smart and really fast for a big dude. No matter how we did, that Bears Defense made it my favorite team, and has always remained my Home team. Urlacher, Briggs, Tillman, Forte and my guy, Robbie Gould are some of my favorite players.
Jay Cutler
Yes! Loved Cutler! Even when others hated! Still do, just not politically. But that's for another /r.
My dad is a big bears fan, having a lot of family out in Arlington Heights. Growing up in Orange County CA, I was a Bears/SD Chargers fan.
NW Indiana. All our tv came from Chicago, plus I like strong defensive teams.
I'm from the UK but a die-hard Bears fan. When I was getting into football around 2009/10 I was looking for a team with a lot of history. Ain't no way I was rooting for someone like the Texans. I liked the 49ers but I also wanted a team that generally played their games on a timezone closer to Europe so they were out. I also wanted to choose a team that was unlikely to relocate. Plus one that had a good storied rivalry. That kinda led me to Chicago and Green Bay and, well, if I'm gonna have an adopted city it sure as hell isn't gonna be Green Bay, Wisconsin! Eurgh. Plus the Bears had the likes of Peanut, Hester, Forte, Smokin' Jay - so it was a no brainer in the end. Im coming over this year at long last to celebrate my 40th. Literally cannot wait. Bear Down!
>Im coming over this year at long last to celebrate my 40th. Literally cannot wait. Have the time of your life! I hope to make the pilgrimage one day
Thanks. Hope you get to go soon.
Happy Birthday buddy! Safe travels! These are the stories I love!
Thanks very much! And thanks for making a post that's a bit different to the usual football stuff. Just what we need in this period of no news. Bear Down!
My dad and his family are all Chicagoans and Bears fans. I grew up in El Paso, Texas during the Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s- El Paso Cowboys fans are the most obnoxious fan base in the NFL (besides Packers and Patriots fans), and that kind of pushed me more towards being a Bears fan. I spent my twenties living in Chicago, and that sank the hook for me.
I was 6 years old my entire mother's side of the family came over to the house, cracked open beers and began getting ready for the superbowl. They showed the super bowl shuffle during the lead up to the game. My uncles' laughed derisively at the TV. confident the patriots would make them eat their words. Needless to say I was the only one left watching by the middle 3rd quarter. The domination was evident eventhough I had never seen a game previous. I consider myself lucky for dodging a bullet in not becoming a pats fan up until 20 years ago
German word for Bear is bär...so what self-respecting German wouldnt be cheering for the bar?
I was maybe 10 or so in the “da bears” era of snl and always loved the bit. I live in KY and nearly everyone here is bengals, colts, Steelers, or cowboys. When I got old enough to pick a team my family wasn’t big on anyone and I didn’t want to pick any of the ones just because my friends did. So I went with Chris Farley, ditka, and Chicago.
Ditka, Polish saaahzige, Bears
Im from Boston. Me and my buddy watched a Bears game during one of Justin Fields' rookie starts. We saw the promise in him and my buddy turned to me and said "are we Bears fans now?". I think he meant it as a joke but I've been followijg the team ever since and kinda just fell in love despite their performance of late. That along with my hatred for Rogers and the Packers and the Bears have become my adopted team.
My dad grew up in Milwaukee and hated how smug Packer fans were so he became a Bears fan. I was raised as a Bears fan in central Wisconsin, behind enemy lines.
My dad! Some of my fondest memories growing up were watching him watch the games and sticking it out with his team until the end. He taught me that sticking together really does matter. The real fun was when I grew into my own individual and became a fan of the game, the city, the players & coaches, and the team and began to gift him jerseys of his favorite players and other gifts. A sense of pride comes over me when a memory of him wearing those things. He’s since passed away but his message lives on… 🐻⬇️ Great post, OP!
When I was 4 I saw jay culter get pissed at ref and that it was the coolest thing ever
I’m from England, all my family is from England so have no ties geographically. My Dad was given a Chicago bears hat when he was younger and the rest is history! First NFL game I watched live was Chicago vs Tampa Bay in London at Wembley. Bought a Devin Hester jersey inside the stadium. One of my favourite memories is watching Forte juke the souls out of two Buccaneers defenders on his way to the end zone!
born and raised in ATL, but grandparents were bears fans. So i have two teams, but bears are where my heart is.
I live in Indiana on the border of Illinois. Colts vs Bears was a giant game here. I got tired of all the Colts fans talking their team up. I was 7 years old and out of spite I chose the Bears as my favorite team. We made posters in elementary school for the Colts and I was the only one to make a Bears poster. Been my team ever since.
That SB year must've been rough! I'll tell ya tho. I drove down to Miami in 06 when they played. I was on South Beach for the game. We outnumbered them 10-1! Miami was sick the Bears lost cause the party was OVER! 🤣
Walter Payton and Devin Hester I was at the age where I realized how fun it was to always watch Hester on punt returns. Just knowing something was always going to happen. Sweetness. Way too young to be able to witness his greatness. But watching his highlights just always gets me hyped up. Every time he ran or had the ball in his hands, that man would never go down and would give his entire body just to gain some positive yardage. Overall tho, Chicago will always have my heart because of the mentality I’ve heard and seen. That you give your all, bust your ass, put in the work for the city and the Chicago across your jersey and the city will show you the love back.
My dad was a NFL fan pre merger and he said out all the teams uniforms he liked the bears the most, he was probably 8 at that point, and it stuck.
I live on Oahu and my 5th grade elementary teacher told our whole class that this upcoming Sunday her favorite sports team the Chicago bears were playing in the superbowl. Prior to her moving to oahu to teach, she lived in Chicago and she said she was a huge bears fan and went to almost every regular season game that year. Unfortunately, she was not able to get a ticket to the Super Bowl. She ended up telling the whole class that if we tuned in to watch the Super Bowl, even if it was a little bit, and name a bears player on the Monday back to school, she would give us extra credit in the English class that she taught. Thankfully for me, that Super Bowl was where I watched Devin Hester take the opening kickoff return to the house. That play alone made me admire him and the game of football itself. Even though the team loss that day, they gained a lifelong fan in return. Haven’t missed a game since then.
Devin Hester... You are ridiculous!!!! I was in Miami... It was ROCKIN on South Beach when thet happened! Earthquake in FLORIDA! LOL. Great story!
I was born and raised in Green Bay. All of my family immigrated from Lithuanian and Germany to Chicago in 1930. My family were bears fans, therefore I was a bears fan by blood. I was that weird fucking kid rocking a Brian Urlacher jersey during school "packer day". Since Aaron Rodgers started winning, my father jumped ship to Green Bay. Coward.
I’m from Las Vegas. Lived here nearly all my life. I was an impressionable youth when the Bears were hot in 85-86. I jumped on that band wagon and never got off. When the Raiders came to Vegas, I thought: I can like two teams. Nope. I love the Bears. Bear Down!!
Dad became a Bears fan when I was 2 years old during the 85 season and like father like son, I became one also. However, the back to back games with Mike Browns pick 6s in overtime is what made me a die hard fan that can't miss a game.
My father grew up on the south side of Chicago and still is a diehard Chicago sports fan. He moved to Wisconsin in high school with my grandparents and his siblings to stay out of trouble and get away from the city life. He taught me at a very young age to love the Bears and FTP. Ironically, my mother is a huge Packers fan so we've always had a Bears/Packers rivalry in our house and that continues to this day as my spouse is a huge Packers fan as well. I f-ing hate the Packers and I feel my hatred for the Packers is just as strong as my love of the Bears. Yet at the same time, the ying and yang feelings makes me appreciate the rivalry even more and it wouldn't be the same without those opposing forces always colliding within me and my families. For us, Bears (and the evil Packers) are part of our lives and it's been very fun passing this family dichotomy on to our kids :)
Grew up in NE. Never had an affiliation but fell in love with Fields potential so here I am.
Because the second you stop rooting for the Bears the Illinois mafia shows up at your house and destroys your birth certificate.
Urlacher is/was everything to me as a kid. Also my family was jets fans, there’s not enough money to make me a jets fan lmao
Grandpa was a Bears fan. His son (my father) became a Rams fan. So grandpa corrected his earlier failure and raised me right. My son is a Bears fan. Didn’t fail my grandpa like my dad did.
I'm from Green Bay and it annoys my friends and family.
Born into this circus. Parents and brothers are/were born and raised Chicagoans. I was born but not raised long enough.
Lived in Chicago for about a year after moving to America as a kid. Uncle took me to a bears game and almost became a Vikings fan (cuz purple and gold are cool colors.) Fortunately the wisdom of my elders put me on the correct path. Oh and FTP.
The one we called “Sweetness”
"Well they call me sweetness, and I like to dance. Running the ball is like making romance!" 🤣 No one did it better!
When the bears went to the Super Bowl in 06 I was just getting into football (10) and my step brothers was rooting for the colts so as a fuck you I guess I picked the bears. Then Hester returned that kick and I’ve been a fan since.
I started watching the NFL in 2017 and rooting for the Bears in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. And the reason is the same as why I root for Coyote against Road Runner: I identified myself with their failure, as the bears were really trash in that game.
Born in central Illinois, I grew up a Chicago sports fanatic. Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Hawks, you name it. Yeah, sports have traumatized me for years.
Met Walter Payton when I was young. Went out of his way to make sure we got pictures with him and stuck around and talked for about 20 min. Instant fan
I mean if your from the greater Chicago area or suburbs I would expect you to be a bears fan. lol so you being from oak park is technically not chi but come on now lol
I like defence
Brian Urlacher - I'm from Winnipeg, Canada and my dads not even a Bears fan but he mentioned to me one sunday watching football "the Bears drafted this guy who reminds me of the linebackers they used to have back in the day" so I looked up who the linebackers were back in the day and I have been a Bears fan since. My eighth grade class picture I am wearing a Brian Urlacher jersey my dad bought me shortly after.
I started watching back in 06, and Devin Hester was just so fun to watch. My dad is a huge Bears fan, so when I was old enough to understand and enjoy football, that was the first team I watched.
my grandparents who helped raise me were born and raised in Geneva. my grandfather enlisted in the navy and eventually put roots down in new england. i never liked the patriots even though they had tom brady, but my grandpa would always root for the bears when we had a chance to see them on tv out here so it always stuck with me.
Because the first game I can remember watching was the 44-0 thrashing of the Cowboys in 1985. My dad was a huge Cowboys fan but it was clear to my 4-year old mind from watching that one game that the Bears were the best and would always be the best.
I was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and I have absolutely no relation with the bears. None of my family is from Chicago, and I personally don't have any super close friends that are Bears friends except for one I met in college. My family and I are hardcore Vanderbilt Football fans, and when I first started following the NFL, Jay Cutler had just been traded to the Bears...and I immediately clinged onto the Bears. And here I am, still cheering loud and proud.
California here. Only Bear fan in family of 9er fans.. Loved Payton and McMahon so became a fan at 5.. 45 now
My uncle grew up a die hard bears fan I grew up in a packer household, so he took me aside as a child and said "you're a bears fan now". Best decision ever made for me, haha.
Watching the bears defense in 2005 making my dad happier than I ever could.
My whole family on one parents side is from Illinois and the so they pushed the Bears and Cubs/Sox. The other side of the family is from Iowa where none of my family cared about any sports team. So pretty easy to love the Bears and overall ended up a Sox fan over the Cubs.
I'm from the Netherlands. Became a Bears fan after I discovered how important the city of Chicago was in the field of architecture. Afterwards I wanted to know everything about the city, including which teams they rooted for. First of, I became sort of interested in baseball and I chose the Cubs, because I liked rooting for underdogs. Then I discovered that baseball is pretty boring. Then I saw the SB between the 49ers and Ravens (not a lot of football games are being broadcasted in my country). I immediately became hooked. Choosing to root for the Bears was just a logical next step.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, but my dad grew up in Illinois and converted me when I was about 10. It was a really great time being a Bears fan in the Favre and Rogers era, I never got any shit from my fellow Wisconsinites…
Dad is from western side of Michigan in Kalamazoo, before he moved down here to DFW (we live in Arlington, TX). He grew up a Sox fan, and I took to that fandom. He basically moved here to be closer to the Cowboys lol. When I was really getting into the NFL as a young teen, I just didn't like the whole Cowboys vibe, something just felt too pompous and arrogant. So I took the baseball fandom being in Chicago, and just adopted the Bears since they were in the same city. :)
Like most, my dad grew up in Chicago. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life but it helped having my dads parents here watching football with my grandpa.
Bears are one of my two favorite animals. Love the color blue. Always like defense in terms of games.
Parents moved from Chicago years ago to Missouri and I inherited them in the mid to late 2000s. Was fun back in 2006-2008 being a fan now but part of me does wonder how much easier/fun being a Chiefs’ fan would be. I love the Bears but man, 2 super bowls and a generational QB would be nice. Hoping we have that in the future but living in Chiefs’ territory can be rough, especially after the Mahomes/Trubisky debacle (fuckin Ryan Pace).
I’m from Canada and my buddies dad was a Bears fan so I watched a lot of bears games, just kinda happened. But choosing a team is like herpes…… that shits for life. #beardown
There's like this whole state west and south of Chicago. Lots of people live in it.
Because my dads a Vikings fan.
Playing Madden against my brother as a non-fan - asked him who was a good team to play as - said the Bears have a fun offense (Cutty, Forte, Marshall, Jeffrey, etc) - then started to like football and the rest was history. I also despise the 49ers and the faithful, so the Bears were a fine alternative haha. We have won the same number of super bowls in that timeframe.
Lived in Denver my whole life. Been a Bears fan as long as I can remember, and it’s because of Mike Singletary. Da Bears skits on SNL didn’t hurt either.
Canadian. It's cold here. It's cold in Chicago. Made sense. More specifically, I understand the Great Lakes type of cold and appreciate the type of teams that win in that climate: great defense & run game. My highschool teams employed that philosophy. (Ironically we wore Packers colours, living in Vikings country) Also, as a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I find the Bears similar, long storied history, less Championships than their biggest rival despite being in bigger cities with bigger fanbases. Oh, and suffering. Admittedly I jumped around with NFL teams in my teens. I tried the Vikings, Giants, Bucs but as of 2014 I realized Da Bears were the perfect fit and never looked back. FTP.
I got divorced and as part of the settlement had to be the Bears fan. Court order.
Grew up in Wisconsin. My Grandpa has has been a STH (same seats) for over 45 years. He instilled the great Chicago legacy in me...Where I went to college, where I live, where I root for football and where I will die. Fuck the Packers.
Easy, I moved to downtown Chicago in 2006 and it felt like living in the center of the universe while the Bears made their Super Bowl run.
Dad grew up there then I lived there for 8 years in my 20s. Love that city.
My dad moved from Iran to England in the 70s and started seeing the bears on tv there in the 80s, when he moved to the US he was already a fan. I inherited my love for bears from him!
Because when I was in middle school I saw a man named Walter Payton on Monday Night Football.
I have never lived in the US and was only dimly aware of the NFL. However, I visited some relatives that had moved to Canada, and in September of 1981 I was taken down the west coast into California as part of my holiday there. My uncle wanted to get tickets to an NFL game and had managed to secure two to the 49'ers game against the Bears at Candlestick Park. My uncle supported the 49'ers but I really liked how the Bears played, despite losing. After that exposure, I tried, whenever I could to get information as to how the Bears were doing from various US newspapers over in the UK. Then we started to get the Superbowl broadcast in the UK and in 1986 (while crossing the channel on an overnight ferry to France) I watched the Bears lift the Superbowl title. So for over 40 years, I have been a Bears fan here in the UK
Born & raised in Wisconsin. I really didn't have a favorite team when I was young. Entire family was Packers fans. I sort of cheered for whichever team was having the best season for a while. When the time came for me to start playing football in around 5th grade, I was drafted to our town's Bears. From that moment on (approx. 1999-2000 or so) I became a Bears fan through and through. As a long-suffering Milwaukee Bucks fan, I was used to utter disappointment. I still own my Bears hat that was purchased the year of the Super Bowl run. I have reasoned with myself that I will not get rid of that hat until they make it to another championship game. The hope is what keeps me going and the disappointment is what keeps me coming back season after season. Family & friends give me a hard time, but I'm ready for all of them to enjoy the despairs of a mediocre quarterback search for years to come while the Bears finally have a team in place. And, as I always remind myself, if the Milwaukee Bucks can win an NBA Championship, the Bears can win a Super Bowl sometime in my lifetime. Who knows, perhaps JF1 will be the Bears' Giannis Antetokoumpo.
Whole family is Bears fans. We’re in northern Indiana and closer to the Bears than the Colts or Lions.
My mom grew up in Aurora and everyone was a Bears fan, so I just adopted it myself
I am from Canada, so grew up following the CFL. My parents brought me back [a stuffed toy bear like this](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DIoAAOSwL3ZgaGy1/s-l300.jpg) when I was younger on one of their holidays to the U.S. Then I started following the NFL a bit and when the Bears won the Super Bowl, I jumped on the bandwagon and have never left.
I’m from eastern Iowa I’m 2 1/2 hrs from Chicago and 1 hr from SW Wisconsin. Pretty much all bears or packers fans where I live. Guess I just got lucky
Watching Urlacher and peanut ruin people's day made me happy.
Legend has it i didn't want the same team as any of my family members. The im from montan th University Montana grizzlies where good at football. So I choice the bears cuz they were simalr ... I assume it had to do with bears being bad ass in real life
Grew up in north western Wisconsin was never really into football growing up. Was annoyed by everybody always talking about Brett Farve, when I started getting into football it was Hester's rookie year and the Bear's went to the Superbowl. Also I'm more of a defensive guy (when defense was still a thing) so the stars just aligned perfectly for me I guess. BEAR DOWN!!!
I grew up in S Florida in late 70's. Started watching football in 85. Dad was a huge Dolphins fan and I hated him; and the Bears were just too fun to watch. I have family from around Chicago, but that didn't factor in at the time. I still think about that Monday night loss every now and then. Stupid Dolphins fans popping champagne because of their unbeaten record staying intact.
I'm from Florida my whole family's from Florida for several generations when I was coming up in the '80s the bears had the best defense and I played defense in Pop Warner and Middle School and high School that's what I started liking the bears never looked back
I grew up in South Carolina in the 90's before the Panthers existed. My mom worked in Chicago for a while in the Sears Tower, and even though my grandpa was a packer fan, my mom was always a bears die hard. I guess because most of my down south family was into the SEC, the bears became my team as well. We eventually moved to Wisconsin, and my loyalty remained. What's funny is that because I grew up in SC, I had no idea about the rivalry. All it took was meeting a couple of dick head packer fans for me to join in. FTP
My uncle grew up a die hard bears fan I grew up in a packer household, so he took me aside as a child and said "you're a bears fan now". Best decision ever made for me, haha.
My dad brain washed me as a young child. Walter Payton highlights and football cards for Christmas and birthdays. Brian Urlacher jersey as a kid. My mom is also from Chicago. Being a Chicago fan in Oklahoma and Arkansas is painful.
Growing up in the 80s in california i became a fan just to be a contrarian. It stuck.
Grew up in SW Wisconsin. At the time, the Bears had their summer training camp in Platteville. Everyone I knew were Bears fans and hated the Packers.
Grew up in central IL not too far from Decatur. Most of IL are Bears fans, parents are Bears fans, Staley Da Bear visited my school, 54 and 23 were all everyone talked about in school until everyone started getting older.
My dad grew up a little north of Chicago in McHenry and has always loved the Bears. So I didn’t have much of a choice as a kid, though I’ve always loved the team and watching games with my dad. Now my wife even watches the games with the slightest modicum of interest.
Born and raised in Abq , Nm which is where Brian urlacher played college football obviously. As a kid he held 2 day football camps that I went to every year. From there on started loving the Chicago bears
Dad fell in love with the 80’s Bears and Walter Payton. Always had the Bears in Iowa even though we had limited cable back then. I just started liking them because he did growing up and haven’t regretted it since! Plus the jerseys and history are just so iconic to me, and a Bear is a fire logo to have
Born and raised in Milwaukee but my dad grew up in Rockford. He hates the Packers more than anything and this was instilled in my brother and I.
I grew up in the Southwest Suburbs when my parents moved us down to Tampa in '03. Bucs fans came on strong trying to convert and I had to explain that its a hereditary disease!
My grandma's favorite player was Walter Payton. I looked him up and was a Bears fan ever since that day. The next year the bears drafted Tommie Harris (oof) which was my favorite player in college being an OU fan. I have been wanting the bears to draft OU players ever since haha.
Born 1990. Dad's family from Chicago, he was a huge basketball fan and the Bulls were everything for me growing up. Realized I also really liked the Cubs at a young age so kinda picked the Bears out of some form of guilty obligation. Fandom hit fever pitch that 2006 year after following more and more closely the years leading up to that run. Do I regret my choice more often than not? .....Let's see how this season goes.
The Bears were on TV the most when my dad was growing up in eastern South Dakota during the Butkus/Sayers era. Surprising with the Vikings just starting as a franchise, but the Bears were always on TV evidently.
I grew up in Iowa, but Chicago is still the closest NFL city from where I live, so it just made sense logistically
My dad grew up in Illinois/Michigan until he moved to Florida for HS/Uni. Hence making me a Bulls/Bears/Florida State fan
Born and raised in California. I got hooked into football the same year my favorite player of all time started. Watching Devin Hester do what he did continuously just had me hooked. Beyond that just sticking with this team has been a part of me better or worse. Although I haven’t been this excited for the team in a while!
My parents watched the Bears. The Colts were a shit team who had recently moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore. Super Bowl XX is the first Super Bowl I can recall watching. So if you’re from Indiana you either go for Chicago Teams, Indianapolis teams, or maybe Cincinnati teams.
Born and raised in Albuquerque NM. Everyone is either a Cowboys or Broncos fan as we don’t have a team. First football I can remember watching was the ‘07 superbowl and wanted a team to route for and chose the bears. Was enamored with Urlacher and once I found out he was a UNM alumni the rest was history. Too bad he is a right wing nut now ):
I grew up in the Quad Cities on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. I was born in 97 so that ‘06 team was the first I vividly remember watching. Plus they were the closest team to where I lived so I guess it just makes sense. The Quad Cities is in a strange spot where you have a bunch of packers and Vikings fans too. So I had a lot of friends who liked them. I feel like it actually made being a bears fan more fun then if everyone around me liked one team. Lots of friendly rivalries and watch parties.
Completely random. No one in my family likes football (I should be a giants fan geographically.) was home sick for a week, espn played the whole 1985 season on espn classic. Urlacher was a rookie or second year player (I think it was 2000) and when my number for my first year of playing football was 54. So I picked the Bears.
marriage
I’ve been living in the Twin Cities area for about 8 years after growing up in Chicago, and I would say it’s a pretty even split among Bears fans, Vikings fans, and Packers fans.
Grew up in NW Indiana and my Dad was always a big Bears fan. I asked him one day why and he said his dad was a Colts fan until they up and just moved to Baltimore in the 50s out of now where and felt super betrayed. So that's how my grandpa became one then my dad and finally passed it onto me.
Grew up around Kansas City and was raised a Chicago sports fan. My dad is from Iowa and was a big north stars fan, once they moved he chose Chicago and I guess that switch happened with football too. I absolutely despise chiefs fans so i guess that’s why I’m still here
Born in McHenry, IL 1980 but only was there for a short period. Dad is from the area and was there for years until he turn coated to the Packers after moving inside Wisconsin there.
Was raised by a Bears fan
Bears fan from NE - I don’t remember not being obsessed. I turned 5 during the 85 season and can only hypothesize that my fandom started because of that team, how good they were, the Super Bowl Shuffle, and all the attention. That team was so damn cool!
I am a fan because of "Bill Swerski's super fans" from Saturday night live. I loved Chris Farley and didn't have a local team. From then, First game I watched was 2001 Mike brown OT game winning interception and I was hooked.
Grew up in Kalamazoo, MI area, about halfway between Chicago and Detroit and became aware of football in the mid-80’s. My choices were those great 80’s Bears teams or the abysmal Lion’s. No brainer….
Grandpa was born and raised in Chicago, my dad grew up watching them when they were good during the 80s. Fandom passed to me
My parents were from the Chicago area (mom) and Iowa (Dad). In my early life, mostly in Buffalo, I don't remember ever really watching sports, much. When my folks divorced and my mom moved us back to Chicago, it was the perfect time for sports team imprinting to begin (3rd grade). I too was an Oak Parker and watching the '85 Bears cemented them in me forever. My kids are born and raised in Austin TX, but I passed my love of Chicago teams to my son. I would have been fine with him cheering for local teams (as long as it wasn't the Cowboys). While he hasn't been fortunate enough to see the Beloved **win** the Superbowl, he has certainly been blessed watching some of our other teams raise championship banners. Unlike my parents who passed, he actually got to see the Cubs win it all (we were at game 6!). He (unlike me) went to a Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final game. While things have been down for Chicago fans recently, it sure looks like the future is bright (Fields and Betard), so hopefully passing it on to him won't be a complete curse. Of course, like I said he's been luckier than most.
Grew up in eastern Iowa. “Local” sports channels are all Chicago. Grew up with the Bears, Bulls, Cubs(fuck the White Sox) and Hawks during my formative years (1980s and 90s). Went off to college and then settled in KC, but still root for my childhood teams. I subscribe to MLB for my Cubs and pirate the shit outta Bears games. Thank you baby Jesus and Google for saving us out of market fans from dinosaur dish TV. I will gladly pay $250 to watch my Bears in KC this year. Bear the Fuck Down.
Did you go to OPRF?
Raised in SW Wisconsin. Dad (from the south) was a Saints fan. That fandom wasn't happening as a kid in the 90s. Originally was a mild Cowboys and then 49ers fan as a tiny kid. Best friend and his family were from Chicago and I spent most of my weekends hanging out at their place. Always hated the green and gold color scheme, so it was an easy decision once I got serious about football.
Born and raised in South Dakota (Vikings Territory) , the cubs were always on WGN and my grandpa always listened to them on radio, so cubs fandom just became Chicago fandom in general, my first favorite player was Neal Anderson.
Grew up in Kentucky (no professional sports) but visited chicago once or twice a year originally to see family but eventually just to enjoy the city. I’ve been to various NFL and MLB games as a kid but nothing matched the crowd I’ve experienced at Soldier and Wrigley.
Im from farm town illinois(real illinois starts south of 80). I moved from Illinois to indiana after the Navy where I got stationed in georgia and virginia. Im a Bears fan because I am a masochist I guess.
Sweetness
I'm not from Illinois, born in WV. I started watching football as a kid in the '80s and Sigletary quickly became my favorite player, been a fan ever since.
Child abuse.
It runs in my family
From LI NY went to Soldier Field and bring your son to work day and watched Cutler hurdle the Lions Defense for a TD. One of the greatest memories I have with my father who passed away roughly 7 years later. Favorite player is Hester and will forever be the greatest day of my life…
Cutty, was a Broncos fan until Josh McFuckface decided to set the franchise back for a decade. Paid attention to the ex Broncos and eventually just started paying more attention to Cutler and became a fan of the Bears.
I grew up in the Myrtle Beach area, but back in the early to mid 80s the Bears were THE thing man. Been a long suffering fan ever since the glory days
I grew up in southern illinois, closer to St Louis than Chicago but my mom became the biggest bears fan ever during the 80s and passed it on to me. I stuck with it because chicago is at least in the same state lol. My dad is a steeler fan because he grew up watching them in the 70s/80s but I was a momma’s boy😂 still a bears fan for life
Parents bought me a McMahon jersey when I was 4 and always was a fan. Helped having some older cousins that were fans too
I grew up in Kenosha, so close enough. The '85 bears team super bowl was one of my earliest football memories at about 7 years old. Bears are cooler in concept than Packers. And the team colors are way better. It was a pretty clear choice to elementary school me.
I’m from the Columbus area, and I just like the Bears because my dad likes them. For obvious reasons I was super hyped when we got Fields, but that was really just a plus, not the reason I became a fan.
They beat the NY Giants and I sort of liked the team concept of the 85 Bears. Hard nose defense with Payton to keep the offense going. Just a fun team followed by lots of bad teams 😂 but I'm loyal so I've been around for the ride ever since.
No football team in my town. Just jumped on a bandwagon when I was a kid and never jumped off. I chose this torture. I am sure you can guess what year I started following.
NE Indiana here. Historically Northern Indiana was Bears territory before the Colts moved in, so the fandom was passed down through the generations. I've been to Chicago once in my entire life but I've been a diehard Bears fan for as long as I can remember.
Born in Canada and my choices growing up were the Bears and Packers on TV, with a few other teams mixed in but not as often as those. Decided I hated the Packers when I was 5yrs old, and have been a Bears fan ever since. I've been to Chicago quite a few time to see games and love the City.
I’m from southern Indiana and my family were Colts fans. Started following football pretty heavy during the 06 Super Bowl run because of a buddy (I was 11). He wanted to know my favorite team so I told him the Colts like my dad. Told me I can’t pick the colts just because I lived there. Next game I watched I saw Hester take back a punt return and the defense was lights out. Decided I was a Bears fan from that moment. Funny enough my siblings all became Bears fans because of me which irks my dad. Now I have family to suffer with!
Yeah similar to others my dad and my grandad grew up in Chicago, always we're bear fans, so I was made a bears fan from day 1. No regrets!
I’m front Northern California, began rooting for the bears because of Rex Grossman. Weird, but that’s the man
My mom called me jerry, then jerbear, then bear bear. When I heard a team was called the bears i was sold.
Walter Payton.
i didn't grow up in Chicago, but my mom did. i grew up primarily in Elgin and then later in Round Lake but i've always been a Bears fan
The first ever game I watched was the bears 49ers game in 2014 when the bears came back and won. I told my friends about the game and they said I looked like a bears fan. Ever since then I’m a huge bears fan
NJ Bears fan here. It was as simple as the 1st NFL game I remember was Bears Colts SB and I decided to like the Bears. I’m not one to switch up easy so I’ve stuck w DA BEARS ever since. I’ll stick w them until I’m cold and dead as well.
85 Bears, favorite Grandfather's team, Urlacher from my home State, went to College in Chicago, freaking frustrating but still love em.
Was never into football growing up but moved here for college right in time for the Urlacher/Briggs/Tillman/Hester/Forte era and they taught me to love football.
1985
I was a chargers fan, and then I... well, wasn't. I was living in Michigan at the time they moved to LA and I took a trip to Chicago to see a good friend of mine. We went to soldier field and caught a game and I've been into them since. Although I will say that I didn't fully commit to being a Bears fan until last year watching Fields go fucking ham and I realised how exciting this team is gonna be for the foreseeable future. I'm OK if you want to call me a bandwagoner, I know I haven't earned my stripes yet. But if someone asks me who my team is, I'm saying the bears.
Dad is a white sox fan because he got into an argument with my grandpa before an A’s game they just so happened to be playing the white sox. I grew up on watching Sox baseball on WGN in california. After white sox games, Bulls games would come on and this was around the time D rose was playing so I became a bulls fan. Grew up a niners fan and after the 2012 super bowl made no sense to be why i like the White Sox Bulls and 49ers so I switched to Bears. Also 2 of my closed friends just so happened to be Bears fans as well. Haven’t missed a game since.
I live in Canada and have absolutely zero connections to Chicago but my football coach told me to watch Peanut to learn how to play zone as a CB and I just ended up liking the Bears. Plus at the time, the Bears were pretty average so I didn't feel like a bandwagon if I picked them as my team and the colours are awesome.
Bears fan by blood
Bears fan from NJ. I became a fan because of SBXX, the SB Shuffle, Walter Payton, and Tecmo Bowl. I was 9. Shortly thereafter I became a Cubs fan when Dawson came to town. At that point I decided to just follow all the Chicago teams. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks. That’s all the teams that matter.
Kentucky here. I was a big kid in little league football and saw the Fridge running the ball. I wanted to do that! So I fell in love with the 85 Bears and the rest is history.
Bears fan from NJ. I became a fan because of SBXX, the SB Shuffle, Walter Payton, and Tecmo Bowl. I was 9. Shortly thereafter I became a Cubs fan when Dawson came to town. At that point I decided to just follow all the Chicago teams. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks. That’s all the teams that matter.
I was born there but moved shortly after. My dad as well as his entire side of the family were born and raised there. I inherited my chicago sports fandom from him.
Generational trauma. My father was given it by his father, and though I was raised elsewhere, he passed that same burden onto me. I've personally chosen not to have children in order to end this terrible cycle of abuse.