Editorial: Super Bowl Sunday looms and the Bears are viewers like the rest of us. Again.

As the calendar turns to February, the excitement surrounding Super Bowl Sunday reaches a fever pitch. The NFL’s biggest stage, a spectacle of athleticism, drama, and entertainment, captivates millions of viewers across the country. Yet, as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles prepare to battle for the championship, there’s a glaring truth in Chicago: the Bears are once again nowhere to be found.

This Sunday, like every other Super Bowl in recent memory, the Chicago Bears will watch from their couches, just like the average fan. It’s been nearly two decades since the Bears made their last Super Bowl appearance, and with each passing year, their absence from the big game feels more pronounced. The 2022 season came to a bitter end with another losing record, and although they showed flashes of potential, the Bears still find themselves far removed from the conversation of Super Bowl contenders.

As we all tune into Super Bowl LVII, we can’t help but feel the weight of the franchise’s continued struggle, one that has plagued the Bears for far too long. The glory days of the 1985 Bears seem like a distant memory, and while Chicago remains a proud sports city, their football team remains in the background, left out of the postseason picture year after year. It’s a frustrating reality for fans who remember the excitement and potential this franchise once held, and it’s a reminder of the work still to be done.

The Bears’ Long Absence From the Super Bowl

The last time the Bears made a Super Bowl appearance was in 2007. Under head coach Lovie Smith, the Bears earned a trip to Super Bowl XLI where they faced the Indianapolis Colts. Despite a strong season, Chicago faltered in the big game, losing 29-17. Since then, the team has struggled to find sustained success, with only one playoff appearance since that Super Bowl run — and it ended in a heartbreaking double doink loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.

As the years have passed, the Bears’ Super Bowl dreams have remained elusive, a reflection of the franchise’s larger struggles. From the failed experiment with quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Mitchell Trubisky, to a revolving door of head coaches and a general lack of consistency, the Bears have never seemed to put all the pieces together.

This absence from the postseason has only intensified the yearning for a return to prominence, especially when compared to other NFC teams that have consistently been in Super Bowl contention, such as the Packers, 49ers, and Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Bears have fallen further behind the pack, with a fanbase that’s increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress.

The Latest Bears Rebuild: Signs of Hope Amidst Years of Frustration

Heading into 2023, the Chicago Bears made a concerted effort to rebuild. They had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and were coming off a disappointing season in which they finished with a 3-14 record. Under general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears focused on retooling their roster and establishing a long-term vision for the future.

The team wisely decided to trade the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a significant package of draft capital, including future first-round picks. They used some of the assets to bolster their roster, adding key players to both the offense and defense. The marquee acquisition was wide receiver DJ Moore from Carolina, giving Justin Fields a legitimate weapon to work with on the outside.

As the 2023 season unfolded, the Bears showed improvement. Fields, in particular, flashed his potential as a dual-threat quarterback. His ability to make plays with his legs was a tantalizing glimpse of what could be a high-powered offense in the future. The Bears’ offense had long struggled to find a true identity, but Fields, combined with the right weapons and protection, could be the answer. However, while the flashes were certainly exciting, it was clear that the Bears were still a few pieces away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Despite the improvements, the Bears finished the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, securing another high draft pick. The growing pains for the young team were evident, but there were also signs of hope. Fields continued to grow and develop, and with the right coaching staff, the offense had the potential to take the next step. In the coming years, the Bears may finally have the quarterback to build around — something they’ve lacked for decades.

However, as we watch the teams preparing for Super Bowl LVII, the Bears are not a part of the conversation. Once again, their future feels distant. The team’s rebuild is ongoing, but it remains to be seen how quickly it will bear fruit. The question on every Bears fan’s mind remains: will the rebuild lead to a return to the Super Bowl? Or will the team continue to falter in the face of larger, more consistent franchises?

The Bears in the Era of NFL Parity

In the modern NFL, the landscape is ever-changing. The advent of free agency, the salary cap, and the annual draft have created a league in which teams can rise to prominence quickly — and fall just as fast. The Bengals and Rams are prime examples of teams that were able to rebuild in a short amount of time and make deep playoff runs, with the Rams even winning the Super Bowl just two years ago. The same can be said for the 49ers, who have remained a Super Bowl contender despite the ups and downs at the quarterback position.

This age of parity presents both challenges and opportunities for the Bears. While there is hope in the NFL for any franchise to turn things around quickly, the Bears have found themselves in a cycle of inconsistency. Their lack of a franchise quarterback for much of the last two decades has held them back. Fields provides hope, but the team must continue to make smart decisions in the draft, free agency, and coaching hires in order to take the next step.

The 2023 season was an example of how rebuilding franchises can see signs of improvement without reaching the ultimate goal of Super Bowl contention. And while the Bears are trending upward, they still have a long road ahead of them. It’s going to take more than just a few roster additions to bring the Bears back to the top of the league. They need stability in the front office, smart drafting, and, most importantly, continued development of Justin Fields into the quarterback the team believes he can become.

The Frustration of Watching Other Teams Compete for a Championship

For Bears fans, watching the Super Bowl — year after year — has become a bittersweet tradition. Each time the game airs, there’s a reminder that their team is once again not competing for the championship. For fans who have lived through seasons of mediocrity or worse, the sight of another team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy is both frustrating and painful.

What makes it more difficult for the Bears is that they are part of the NFC, and several NFC teams have been perennial contenders in recent years. The Packers, 49ers, Eagles, and Rams have each had their moments of glory in the post-2007 era, while the Bears have been stuck in limbo, unable to break free of their mediocrity. It’s a reminder that, in today’s NFL, teams like the Bears need more than just a quarterback. They need the right system, the right coaching, and the right mindset.

The Hope for the Future

While the Bears’ absence from the Super Bowl is disappointing, the franchise is not without hope. The moves they made in 2023, including their trade for DJ Moore, the development of Justin Fields, and the foundation they’ve begun to build, suggest that better days are ahead.

The truth is, the Bears are in the midst of a long-term rebuild. But history has shown us that the right mix of leadership, talent, and time can lead to championship contention. The Super Bowl may not be in the cards this season, but the Bears can take solace in the fact that they are taking steps to put themselves in a position to compete for one in the future.

For now, Bears fans will watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of their living rooms, dreaming of the day when their team will once again be a part of the spectacle. Until then, they’ll have to endure the long wait, hoping that the team’s rebuild brings them closer to the ultimate goal: a Super Bowl championship.