The Bears Come Home: 1971-Present
After decades at Wrigley Field, the Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971. From Butkus to Payton to the '85 Bears, the greatest moments happened here, under open sky, with the wind howling off the lake.
By Editorial Team · 2025-12-04
Coming Home
In 1971, the Bears finally made Soldier Field their permanent home. They'd been playing at Wrigley Field since 1921—fifty years of football on the North Side.
The move south changed everything. Soldier Field was bigger, louder, and exposed to the elements in ways Wrigley never was. The wind off Lake Michigan became part of the game.
Monsters of the Midway
The Bears brought their legends to the lakefront. Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers in the early years. Walter Payton through the late 1970s and 1980s—breaking records, carrying the franchise, becoming the greatest to ever wear navy and orange.
Payton ran for 16,726 yards in his career. Most of those yards came on Soldier Field turf, in front of fans who'd watched him since he was a rookie.
When Payton broke Jim Brown's all-time rushing record in 1984, he did it at Soldier Field. When he won his only Super Bowl the following season, the celebration came back here.
When you hit a wall, just kick it in.
Walter Payton
The '85 Bears
The 1985 Chicago Bears went 12-0 at Soldier Field during the regular season. They finished 15-1 overall, won Super Bowl XX, and became the greatest team in franchise history.
That season, Soldier Field was a fortress. The defense allowed just 198 points all year—fewer than anyone else in football. Opposing quarterbacks didn't just lose at Soldier Field. They got destroyed.
Mike Singletary. Richard Dent. Dan Hampton. Steve McMichael. Otis Wilson. They owned that field. When the wind blew and the temperature dropped, visiting teams knew they were in trouble.
12-0 — Bears' home record in 1985
The Modern Era
The 2003 renovation changed the stadium's look but not its soul. The Bears kept winning at home. In 2006, they went to the Super Bowl again, beating the Saints in the NFC Championship on a snowy January afternoon.
For fifty years now, Soldier Field has been Bears territory. The legends played here. The championships were won here. The fans who've held season tickets for generations—they're not ready to give that up.
The lakefront is home. It has been since 1971. No dome in Arlington Heights can replace what happened on this field.