Now that we have put some distance between us and the NFL’s schedule release drop, we can really start digging into the nooks and crannies of what is on the horizon for the Chicago Bears in 2024.
Unfortunately, sometimes deeper dives result in unsavory finds.
One such discovery is that the Bears are one of 10 teams set to face the unenviable task of playing three games only 10 days apart. I simply can’t imagine a worse schedule quirk for such a demanding and grueling sport. Yuck.
One weird 2024 NFL schedule quirk negatively impacts the Chicago Bears
The Bears aren’t alone in facing this fate in 2024. So if you’re someone who is a “misery loves company” type, then maybe you’ll take solace in that nugget. If so, then this feels like a good time to mention the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and the Cincinnati Bengals as teams that will have three games in a 10-day stretch spanning from a Monday to Sunday to Thursday. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Texans will deal with a Sunday to Saturday to Wednesday gauntlet thanks to Christmas Day games. Sheesh. That seems brutal.
What makes this whole ordeal even odder (h/t Pro Football Talk) is that it had not been a thing a team has had to deal with in the past five years. From 2019 to 2023, it didn’t happen. Now it’s happening for nearly a third of the league? Whose bright idea is this? Did anyone think about the wear-and-tear that these players and teams will have to withstand? For a league that claims to care about player safety, the NFL really puts these guys through the wringer.
Maybe it won’t matter. After all, last year’s NFL schedule had the Bears as the NFL’s most well-rested team. I’m not sure the team leveraged that down time to the best of its abilities as it finished below .500 with a 7-10 record at season’s end. So maybe I’m making something out of nothing. Or perhaps I’m just way too cognizant of schedule oddities.
In any case, I felt as if this was something we — as Bears fans — should be aware of entering what looks to be an exciting season. Between the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, an appearance on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series, a game in London, and a bunch of high-profile matchups for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, we’ve got a lot to keep tabs on in 2024.
Just 100 days until kickoff. Are you ready?