The 1996 Chicago Bears season was their 77th

regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of ...

completed in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL). They failed to improve on their 9–7 record from 1995 and finished with a 7–9 record under head coach

Dave Wannstedt David Wannstedt (born May 21, 1952) is a former American football coach. He has been the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was also the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh foot ...

. It was the team's first losing season since

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...

when it was Wannstedt's first season.

Offseason

NFL draft

{, class="wikitable" , + 1996 Undrafted Free Agents of note !Player !Position !College , - ,

Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...

, Cornerback , Northwestern , - , Bobby Neely , Tight end ,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, brad Johnson Florida State , qauertback

Staff

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Week ! Date ! Opponent ! Result ! TV Time ! TV Announcers ! Attendance , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 1 , September 2, 1996 ,

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...

, W 22–6 , ABC 8:00pm ,

Al Michaels Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944) is an American television sportscaster currently working as the play-by-play announcer for '' Thursday Night Football'' on Prime Video and in an emeritus role for NBC Sports. He has worked on n ...

Frank Gifford Francis Newton Gifford (August 16, 1930 – August 9, 2015) was an American football player, actor, and television sports commentator. After a 12-year playing career as a halfback and flanker for the New York Giants of the National Foo ...

Dan Dierdorf Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle. A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 2 , September 8, 1996 , at

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

, L 10–3 , FOX 12:00pm , Dick Stockton &

Matt Millen Matthew George Millen (born March 12, 1958) is a former American football linebacker and executive. Millen played 12 years in the National Football League for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins, ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 3 , September 15, 1996 ,

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

, L 20–14 , FOX 12:00pm ,

Mike Breen Michael Breen (born May 22, 1961) is an American play-by-play sports commentator for '' NBA on ABC'' and is the lead announcer for New York Knicks games on the MSG Network. Breen also calls NBA games for ESPN and was formerly a play-by-play anno ...

Bill Maas William Thomas Maas (born March 2, 1962) is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Kansas City Chiefs (1984–1992), and the Green Bay Packers (1993). Maas was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987. In 1984 Maas was ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 4 , September 22, 1996 , at Detroit Lions , L 35–16 , FOX 3:00pm ,

Kevin Harlan Kevin Harlan (born June 21, 1960) is an American television and radio sports announcer. The son of former Green Bay Packers executive Bob Harlan, he broadcasts NFL and college basketball games on CBS and the NBA for TNT. 2022 will be his 38th ...

Jerry Glanville Jerry Michael Glanville (born October 14, 1941) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Alabama Airborne of Major League Football. He played football at Northern Michigan University in the early 1960s, and is a former NASCAR ...

, , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 5 , September 29, 1996 , Oakland Raiders , W 19–17 , NBC 12:00pm ,

Dick Enberg Richard Alan Enberg (January 9, 1935 – December 21, 2017) was an American sportscaster. Over the course of an approximately 60-year career, he provided play-by-play of various sports for several radio and television networks, including N ...

Paul Maguire Paul Leo Maguire (born August 22, 1938) is a former American professional football player and television sportscaster. Early sports career Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio where he was an All State wide receiver and ...

Phil Simms Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former football quarterback who spent his entire 15-year professional career playing for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He is currently a television sport ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 6 , October 6, 1996 , Green Bay Packers , L 37–6 , FOX 12:00pm ,

Pat Summerall George Allen "Pat" Summerall (May 10, 1930 – April 16, 2013) was an American football player and television sportscaster who worked for CBS, Fox, and ESPN. In addition to football, he announced major golf and tennis events. Summerall announ ...

John Madden John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, who he led to eight pl ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 7 , October 13, 1996 , at

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

, L 27–24 , FOX 12:00pm , Mike Breen & Bill Maas , , - , 8 , colspan=5 align="center" , ''Bye'' , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 9 , October 28, 1996 , at

, W 15–13 , ABC 8:00pm , Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf , , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 10 , November 3, 1996 ,

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

, W 13–10 , FOX 12:00pm ,

Kenny Albert Kenneth Gary Albert (born February 2, 1968) is an American sportscaster, the son of NBA sportscaster Marv Albert and nephew of sportscasters Al Albert and Steve Albert. He is the only sportscaster who currently does play-by-play for all four ...

& Tim Green , , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 11 , November 10, 1996 , at

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...

, L 17–12 , FOX 3:00pm , Kevin Harlan & Jerry Glanville , , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 12 , November 17, 1996 , at

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...

, L 14–10 , FOX 12:00pm , Dick Stockton & Matt Millen , , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 13 , November 24, 1996 , Detroit Lions , W 31–14 , FOX 12:00pm , Kenny Albert & Tim Green , , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 14 , December 1, 1996 , at Green Bay Packers , L 28–17 , FOX 12:00pm , Dick Stockton & Matt Millen , , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 15 , December 8, 1996 ,

St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...

, W 35–9 , FOX 12:00pm ,

Thom Brennaman Thomas Wade Brennaman (born September 12, 1963) is an American television sportscaster. He is the son of former Cincinnati Reds radio sportscaster Marty Brennaman. Broadcasting career After graduating in 1982 from Cincinnati's Anderson High Sc ...

Ron Pitts Ronald Dwayne Pitts (born October 14, 1962) is a former professional American football player and current sportscaster. He played cornerback in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers, and played college football a ...

, , -style="background: #ddffdd;" , 16 , December 14, 1996 , San Diego Chargers , W 27–14 , NBC 3:00pm ,

Charlie Jones Charles, Charlie, Charley or Chuck Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Chuck Jones (1912–2002), American animator, director, and producer * Charles Jones (c. 1889–1942), American actor better known as Buck Jones * Charles Jones (pho ...

Randy Cross Randall Laureat Cross (born April 25, 1954) is an American football analyst and former player. He was a right guard and center in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was inducted into the Colle ...

, , -style="background: #ffdddd;" , 17 , December 22, 1996 , at

, L 34–19 , FOX 12:00pm , Thom Brennaman & Ron Pitts ,

Standings

References

External links

1996 Chicago Bears
at Pro-Football-Reference.com Chicago Bears Chicago Bears seasons Bear 1990s in Chicago 1996 in Illinois {{ChicagoBears-season-stub