The Chicago Bears lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, leaving only housekeeping to be done at Halas Hall this week.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams addressed the media for the final time in an official capacity on Monday, and he reiterated how much this season–his first under head coach Ben Johnson, whom he raved about–has built upon the faith that he had when it began.
After Williams spoke, the locker room opened as several players gathered their belongings.
Bears Send Final Messages After Season-Ending Loss
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The crowd was light, with players making final arrangements at their own respective paces, but starters Drew Dalman, Kevin Byard, and Rome Odunze were among those who spoke with reporters on the day.
Backups Braxton Jones and Ruben Hyppolite II also spoke with Clocker Sports.
This is the final time that the Bears will convene as a group until organized team activities in the spring.
Key Dates
The Bears will not be on the field for a while. They will be looking for new additions who will, though. That starts with the East-West Shrine Bowl on January 27, followed by the Senior Bowl on January 31. The 2026 Pro Bowl Games are on February 3.
The Bears have three representatives for the Pro Bowl: Byard, Dalman, and Joe Thuney.
Teams can begin applying franchise and transition tags to players on February 17, while the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine runs from February 23 through March 2.
The legal tampering period of free agency begins on March 9.
Teams like the Bears can begin offseason programs on April 20. Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft is on April 23. That is a lot still to come for Johnson and Bears general manager Ryan Poles, with even more details to be covered during and after that stretch.