If the Bears franchise folded tomorrow, which team would you become a fan of?

[Xee]

Since we're officially in the offseason, figured I'd ask a random question. If, for whatever reason, the Bears ceased to be a NFL franchise, which team would switch allegiance to?

I thought about this when I came across a post on the Bears subreddit where someone mentioned that they had been a "lifelong" Bears fan but got so fed up with the franchise, they decided to become a Packers fan.

While I am unable to comprehend how a Bears "fan" can start rooting for the Packers (I would argue that it is impossible if you ever were a true Bears fan), it made me wonder, if I had to switch to another team, which one would it be?

Personally, mostly because they dislike the Packers as much as I do, but partly because I'm a sucker for underdogs, I would probably become a Lions fan. I've never had an issue with them and given how used to I am following a team that more often than not does not amount to much, I think it would be a fairly easy switch.

Plus, their meme content is on point. This is what someone came up with after they beat the Packers today:

[dplank]

I’d go local, Dolphins

[The Cooler King]

Ravens probably. But a case could be made for Indy as they'd be closest location, so I'd end up in market for games maybe.

[donkeykong]

I always had Denver and Indy as my second and 3rd favorite teams. I’d just go full Broncos and be done with it.

[Moriarty]

GB, easily

[Sugashane]

I was a huge Mahomes fan at Texas Tech so I'd probably move over to his Chiefs.

Rotate as a fan for whoever is playing GB for the week too obviously.

[KOP_Snake]

Probably Patriots. I wanted them to have a perfect season to shut the '72 Dolphins the fuck up.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Ravens.

Definitely NOT the Packers.
I think it’s the Ravens ‘never say die’ attitude that I like.

[The Marshall Plan]

I don't know.

I suppose if I HAD TO pick one team I'd go with the Browns or Steelers. Somebody that is OG and goes back to the beginning of the league.

I'm kind of near my last hurrah with the Bears anyway. If Fields works out then things change, but otherwise I think I'm done. So that means I've got two more years as a fan.

But objectively, that fat ass Krause broke up the Bulls too early and it's only been just now have I started to care about them again.

I gave up on the Cubs in 2003 and haven't looked back.

So with the Bears, I'm at the point where I'm just sick of the bullshit. I'm tired of seeing that old withered hag Virginia and the God damn smile while the team does jack shit. Or George floundering around like the NFL version of Michael Scott from The Office without the humor.

The McCaskey's are nothing but a bunch of silver spooned mental midgets that couldn't think their way out of a paper bag. They live off the legacy of George Halas and they still run promos and crap for 1985. They have to dig back 40 YEARS AGO to talk about good stuff.

My world would be a better place if Virginia dropped dead and the McCaskey's sold the team to somebody competent. Just like how Chicago sports got better when Krause dead and when Dollar Bill Wirtz died. It'll be better when Reinsdorf dies too.

I never like to play the race card unless if I'm CERTAIN. That whole thing is just so ugly and based in evil. I didn't think the Bears were racist when they drafted Mitch instead of Watson. But you know what, after all the shit Lovie Smith took and he got fired for nothing compared to Nagy.

If Matt Nagy sticks around and because the Bears fired Lovie Smith, maybe there's something to that.

[Otis Day]

Kind of a rough question. I really like watching Mahomes/Chiefs and Titans/Henry. But lately I have loved watching what Shanahan has going on in SF. So I guess it would be SF and Titans. Like teams that want to run the ball.

[Grizzled]

Chiefs. Born in K.C., lived there until we moved to Chicago.

[HurricaneBear]

Probably wouldnt really have a team but I'd root for the Giants with my family and friends since it's the "local" team or as close to it as we have here in CT

[Burl]

Titans as Im local.

[UOK]

Switching from the Bears to the Packers is such a craven, gutless move.

Honestly I think I'd probably just go numb to the NFL for awhile. Outside of the Bears I only loosely follow the league anyway, so if I forsook the Bears, which is absolutely a possibility, I'd simply be a ghost fan of the whole shabang.

[Atkins&Rebel]

After the Bears, I tend to look at players more than teams, but then I get a soft spot for certain teams because of the players. So with that being said, Teams that I "like" because of current and past players:
1. Cincinatti: Sam Wyche with Boomer, Icky, and Brooks and Munoz was an entertaining team to watch in the 80's.
2. Kansas City: Before Mahomes brought all the attention, I loved watching the Nigerian Nightmare, with DeBerg and Stephone Paige, and playing them in Super Techmo
3. Denver: I loved watching the mid 90's through the mid 2000's Broncos offense with Smith and McCaffery, and the RB success between Davis, anyone else that ran behind that line. Ed McCaffery is one of my favortite WR's of all time.
4. Detroit: Always appreciated players like Herman Moore, and Barry sanders. Right now, I'm enjoying the vibe coming out of Detroit. Campbell is learning the ropes of playcalling and the guys are playing hard. They get a couple of pieces and that team could become a contender

[Moriarty]

Excessive Packer hatred is a genuinely unhealthy sign.


They aren't Jeffrey Epstein and a band of equally unsavory criminals.
They're a bunch of professional mercenary athletes who wear a different color.
On the whole, the blend of good people and bad people on the team is no different than the Bears.


They are one of the OG franchises with history rivaling the Bears
They've been highly successful in the old days and in the modern era
They're underdogs in the sense that no one thought they were going to prosper (or even survive) in the Free Agency era
They're local
They're owned by fans, instead of a rich asshole, like many franchises. (Or tremendously nice clowns, in the case of the Bears.)

[Mikefive]

Switching from the Bears to the Packers is such a craven, gutless move.

It sure would seem that way if you paid no attention to WHY.

I'd go Green Bay for a number of reasons.
1. They're a founding NFL member. For some reason, that has value to me.
2. I like that they're owned by the community and the taxpayers get tickets to games.
3. I love that Lambeau is right in the middle of town and fans that don't have tickets party in their front yards in view of the stadium.
4. I attended a game there and the fans were reasonable.
5. Their management team has a clue and a plan.
6. My son and I would have our fandom in common.

If that makes me craven and gutless, I can live with that.

[Hema2.0]

Switching from the Bears to the Packers is such a craven, gutless move.

Honestly I think I'd probably just go numb to the NFL for awhile. Outside of the Bears I only loosely follow the league anyway, so if I forsook the Bears, which is absolutely a possibility, I'd simply be a ghost fan of the whole shabang.

This. Count me out if that is ever a scenario.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I got into the game in the 1980s. I'd never even heard of it until Channel 4 started broadcasting it over here. My mates and I all picked different teams to follow and I thought 'why not just pick the best around', which is why I ended up following the Bears... a decision I've been paying for ever since!

So if the inconceivable happened and the Bears ceased to be, I'd probably start supporting the 49ers because I liked those teams led by Bill Walsh and Joe Montana back then. They were fun to watch and packed with great players.

[wab]

Tough question. I think my fandom as a whole would change. I'd become much more of a casual fan and would just watch games for enjoyment if I had time. I suppose just based on where I live, it would be the Cowboys. Because they are always on TV and it wouldn't be a lot of work.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I got into the game in the 1980s. I'd never even heard of it until Channel 4 started broadcasting it over here. My mates and I all picked different teams to follow and I thought 'why not just pick the best around', which is why I ended up following the Bears... a decision I've been paying for ever since!

Same here.
I remember Mick Luckhurst and Gary Imlach presenting.

My mate was a Broncos fan. He was obsessed with NFL and John Elway’s comebacks. He was a pretty good QB and I was his WR1.
We got selected for a local team and played a few games for them.

[G08]

My best friend is a Die-Hard Bills fan, I'd join him.

I don't think it would be the same, though. The Chicago Bears, for better or worse, are woven into the DNA of my being.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I got into the game in the 1980s. I'd never even heard of it until Channel 4 started broadcasting it over here. My mates and I all picked different teams to follow and I thought 'why not just pick the best around', which is why I ended up following the Bears... a decision I've been paying for ever since!

Same here.
I remember Mick Luckhurst and Gary Imlach presenting.

Ah, those were the days! Red 42 on a Saturday morning with Imlach, John Smith and Walter Payton, with "Marino's monthly" every few weeks. The NFC Championship game live with Luckhurst, Marino and Walter. Luckhurst asking Walter about the Super Bowl ring he was wearing and Marino interjecting with how his Dolphins were the only team to beat the Bears that year but being drowned out by Walter faking an almighty coughing fit every time he tried. Happy days!

[thunderspirit]

Switching from the Bears to the Packers is such a craven, gutless move.

I can't agree that it would be either craven or gutless, even though there's no way I could make that switch myself. Everyone's different.

The Bears disappearing might be enough to get me to give up my NFL football addiction.

[Boris13c]

if that were to happen I think my next team would be east coast where I am currently living ... or maybe switch to AFC Central ... but to be honest, no team really jumps into my mind

perhaps the Browns? that would fit right in to my lifelong masochistic tendencies as a Bears fan

[IotaNet]

Prolly not a popular choice but I'd be a Dallas guy. I've admired them all the way back to Tom Landry (class personified), "Roger the Dodger" Staubach, Drew (and Preston) Pearson, et. al and currently I'm a big fan of Dak & Zeke.

I also admire how Jerry Jones' big thinking has changed the NFL. In many ways' they've been a model franchise

[wab]

Prolly not a popular choice but I'd be a Dallas guy. I've admired them all the way back to Tom Landry (class personified), "Roger the Dodger" Staubach, Drew (and Preston) Pearson, et. al and currently I'm a big fan of Dak & Zeke.

I also admire how Jerry Jones' big thinking has changed the NFL. In many ways' they've been a model franchise

The era of "America's Greatest Team" got pretty annoying, but honestly the Cowboys teams of that era are what the 85 Bears should have become after their SB win.

As grating as some of those 90's Cowboys teams were, the current incarnation is pretty fun to watch. Although I dislike McCarthy very much.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

I would go with the Seahags - only four hours away.

[Hiphopopotamos]

I'd just watch college football.

[SweatyAlpaca]

I have given this some thought as the season progressed this year. With that being said, I could never root for Green Bay! NEVER!

I would lean to rooting for the Colts due to proximity. My second choice would be the Saints.