When the Cubs broke a 108-year drought by winning the World Series in dramatic fashion in 2016 — 10 years ago Monday — it was sure to be big news from coast-to-coast. But it was bigger than I thought. The Cubs winning the World Series not only was on Page 1A in newspapers in big-league cities like New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Denver and St. Louis, but in Anchorage, AK, Concord, N.H., Brainerd, Minn., Pierre, S.D. and Fayetteville, N.C. It actually was a tough story for news

It's no surprise that Michael Jordan Sports Illustrated covers dominate the graded magazine market. Record-setting auction sales of Jordan covers have fueled the rapid rise of the hobby — $126,000 for Jordan's first pro cover ("A Star Is Born") graded 9.8 by CGC, in 2023; $229,360 for Jordan's first cover (with North Carolina teammate Sam Perkins) graded 9.6 by PSA, in March of 2026; and $378,200 for Jordan's "A Star Is Born" issue graded 9.8 by CGC in September. And the Jord

Oh, what a difference Ben Johnson makes. When Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson weaved through a discombobulated Bears' defense for a 48-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half Thursday night at Soldier Field, the disappointment was palpable. Instead of cruising into halftime on a high with a 20-7 lead after Caleb Williams' 24-yard touchdown pass to Luther Burden with 14 seconds left in the second quarter, the stunned Bears headed to the locker room on tilt

Could Caleb Williams' injury become a blessing in disguise? That would be quite the turnaround, considering how devastating Williams injury initially looked. Regardless of the tumult of the discourse that followed, Williams going down without contact in the fourth quarter against the Vikings in Week 2 looked like a disastrous hamstring or Achilles injury that might have ended Williams' season. As it turned out, whether it was a Grade 1 or Grade 2 hamstring strain (or tear — s

Caleb Williams had a sometimes awkward and contentious press conference Thursday at Halas Hall — his first media availability since he suffered a Grade ... er, a lower body injury of uncertain degree against the Vikings on Sept. 20. But the point is, he was there, which likely means he'll start against the Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta. Or so we're supposed to think, anyway. While that scenario sounds logical, it's also possible that Ben Johnson wants us to think Williams will

Do we owe Matt Nagy an apology? In 2019 against the Chargers at Soldier Field, Nagy was excoriated for having Mitch Trubisky take knee on first-and-10 at the Chargers 41 in the final minute of the fourth quarter to set up kicker Eddy Pineiro for a 41-yard field goal that would have won the game on the final play. Instead, the Bears lost 17-16 when Pineiro's kick sailed wide left as time expired. If he had only been closer, was the outcry The criticism that Nagy played it too

Bears, 27-20 It remains to be seen if Ben Johnson's offense can hide Tyson Bagent's flaws long-term (if necessary), but experience matters in Johnson's offense (Jared Goff took to it much more quickly than Caleb Williams) and Bagent figures to be better in his second start than he was in his first — even in the unfriendly confines of Lambeau Field. The Ditka Factor Mike Ditka's powerful personality elicited both reverence and ridicule (and exagerration and caricature, as in "

The Bears' 23-12 victory over the Jets on Sunday at Soldier Field was another big win for coach Ben Johnson, who now has won three games with three different quarterbacks in the first four games of the season. And the quarterback — Caleb Williams (124.1 passer rating ) against the Panthers, Case Keenum (110.8) against the Eagles and Tyson Bagent (83.9) against the Jets — has played a key, if not starring, role in all three victories. (The last time the Bears won three games i

Case Keenum had a glorious moment, but not necessarily a defining one in leading the Bears to a 27-7 upset of the Eagles on Monday Night Football at Soldier Field. It's possible that Ben Johnson's offense is so quarterback friendly that any competent veteran can step in and run it at peak efficiency, with sustained success. But it's also possible that this was a fleeting moment that could fade now that NFL defensive coordinators have tape of Keenum in Ben Johnson's offense to

Bears, 24-23 Veteran Case Keenum (or Tyson Bagent) figures to be a capable replacement for Caleb Williams in Ben Johnson's offense — perhaps with pre-snap and post-snap decision-making that make extended-play heroics unnecessary — and should be backed by an improved run game and sharper overall execution after Johnson likely was embarrassed by last week's performance. Ben Johnson's gamesmanship Keenum figures to start, but it could be Tyson Bagent — and who knows maybe Miller

It was a bad day for Ben Johnson. It was a worse day for The Ben Johnson Effect. In his first season as the Bears' head coach, Johnson defied the stigma at Halas Hall that seemed to turn every post-Lovie-era coach into the worst version of himself. Johnson not only was good at what he did best, but made everyone around him better. He made Ryan Poles a better general manager. He made Caleb Williams a better quarterback. With Johnson's touch, seventh-round running back Kyle Mon

Bears, 29-24 The Bears' offense probably won't be as prolific against a Brian Flores defense with a game under its belt, and likely in rainy conditions, but it will still be effective. And the Bears' defense figures to improve in Week 2 and continue the theme of 2026 — it doesn't have to be good, just good enough. Key matchup The chess match between Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is center-stage as it should be. Last year, Will

With the ink barely dry on his three-year, $33.75 million contract extension, D'Andre Swift opened Year 2 under Ben Johnson with a 17-yard run cut down to nine because of a holding penalty on wide receiver Rome Odunze. On the very next play he got the ball again and gained four yards. Then came rushes of four and five yards on the Bears' second series, and a nine-yard gain that was nullified by a holding penalty on center Garrett Bradbury. Four plays later, Swift got the ball

Seven players who made the biggest impact in the Bears' 59-37 victory over the Panthers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium: 1. Caleb Williams By almost any measurement — starting with the eye test — Williams appeared to have taken the anticipated step up in Year 2 in Ben Johnson's offense — he was 21 of 29 (72.4%) for 269 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 124.1 passer rating. For those tracking Williams' completion percentage as a measuring stick of his growt

Bears, 31-23 Ben Johnson's offense figures to start quickly in Year 2 and give Dennis Allen's defense a little margin for error — a likely theme for the season. The Panthers scored 30 or more points five times last season (including their playoff loss to the Rams), but also scored 10 or fewer five times. This could be a good test of the Bears' ability to start fast with an early knockout to save Caleb Williams from pulling a rabbit out of his hat to win the game. PLAYER TO WA

"Never underestimate the mediocrity of the NFL." The Bears are predicted by some analysts to be victims of that mantra in 2026, but instead could be the beneficiaries. The difference? Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams – a head coach/quarterback combination that allows teams like the Rams and 49ers to stay ahead of the curve of NFL parity. The Bears have their share of flaws, but almost every team in the NFL has flaws and is just as vulnerable. And while defense wins championship

I used to castigate "100 percenters" in football and relievers in baseball who could pitch the eighth inning but not the ninth as "weak" athletes — until I realized that that would be me if I could have run a sub-4.4 40 or thrown in the mid-90s. I have a low threshold of pain and an inability to focus, especially in critical situations. I'd likely have been that guy, no matter how badly I wanted to be as "tough" as Dan Hampton or as cold-blooded as Mariano Rivera. That person

The Bears' initial 53-man roster after cutdown day Sunday is a testament to the new reality at Halas Hall that this team belongs to head coach Ben Johnson — and to a lesser extent, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Of the 53 players on the active roster, only 20 of them were on the Bears' roster when Johnson was hired as head coach just 19 months ago (plus cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Jones and linebacker Noah Sewell on the PUP/IR lists). That's a significant amount

Early last season, Pete Crow-Armstrong looked more like Pete Crow-Almora than a future Most Valuable Player. When MLB.com reported in April of 2025 that Crow-Armstrong had declined a $75 million contract offer from the Cubs, it was just as bewildering that the Cubs would make the offer as PCA turning it down. At the time, Crow-Armstrong's development into a big-league star was hardly inevitable — he was hitting .224 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs in 152 big-league games, with

Everything Ben Johnson touches turns to gold, or so it seems. He's making a quarterback out of Caleb Williams and a general manager out of Ryan Poles. Every player introduced to the Bears offense under Johnson has been a plus – from All-Pro guard Joe Thuney and center Drew Dalman to rookie tight end Colston Loveland and seventh-round running back Kyle Monangai. When 2024 undrafted free agent Theo Benedet replaced benched starter Braxton Jones at left tackle last year, the Bea