The Bears 2026 schedule was officially released, and while the road ahead won’t be easy, Chicago did catch one major break before the season even begins.

The Bears are set to travel the third-fewest air miles in the NFL this season , a significant scheduling advantage over a grueling 17-game season. Less travel means less wear and tear, fewer exhausting cross-country trips, and more opportunities to stay fresh late in the season.

Still, this is far from an easy schedule.

Chicago has seven nationally televised matchups, multiple games against recent Super Bowl teams, brutal divisional battles, and a late-season gauntlet that could ultimately decide their playoff fate.

It lays itself out in a fairly balanced manner, though. The NFL is all about parity. There isn't a ton that separates teams 7-26 in the league.…