CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Caleb Williams delivered a four-touchdown performance Sunday, passing for 269 yards and two scores while adding 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns as the Chicago Bears overwhelmed the Carolina Panthers 59-37 in the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history.
The 96 combined points surpassed the previous season-opening record by eight. That mark had been set in 2018, when Tampa Bay defeated New Orleans 48-40.
Under coach Ben Johnson, Chicago also established a new franchise record for points in an opener, eclipsing the 45 points scored against Green Bay at Wrigley Field in 1948. Carolina’s 59 points were the most the Panthers have ever surrendered in a game.
D’Andre Swift celebrated a $33.75 million contract extension by rushing for 124 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Kyle Monangai added 100 rushing yards, highlighted by a 61-yard touchdown run.
The Bears’ 59 points ranked fourth in team history. Chicago’s franchise high remains the infamous 73-0 victory over Washington in the 1940 NFL championship game.
Bryce Young kept Carolina within striking distance by throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns, while also scoring on the ground. Jalen Coker posted a career-best 138 receiving yards on eight catches, including two touchdown receptions.
Williams was at his sharpest early, firing accurate throws and piling up 196 passing yards in the first half. His best play came on a perfectly placed 22-yard touchdown pass to Cole Kmet.
The Chicago quarterback also ran for 52 yards and two touchdowns before halftime, sending the Bears into the locker room with a 31-24 advantage.
Chicago could have built an even larger cushion if not for a questionable decision by Johnson and an impressive first half from Young.
Young completed 11 of 17 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns before the break, including a 51-yard connection with Coker. He later scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown after Johnson opted for a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-2 from the Chicago 21-yard line, but the attempt failed to reach the marker.
The missed opportunity ultimately did not decide the game. Carolina’s mistakes in the second half allowed Chicago to pull away.
After Chuba Hubbard’s second touchdown tied the score at 31, Panthers defensive end Derrick Brown was penalized for a late hit on Williams. The flag extended Chicago’s drive and set up Swift’s 1-yard touchdown run.
The Panthers went for it on fourth down near midfield on their next possession but Young couldn’t connect with last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, on a lofted pass down the left sideline.
Chicago cashed in on the next play as Monangai broke through a hole in the middle and raced 61 yards for a 45-31 lead.
On Carolina’s next drive, McMillan fumbled, giving the Bears the ball back. Williams cashed in with a scoring strike to a wide-open Jahdea Walker for a 52-31 lead with 6:27 remaining.
Bears fans celebrate record-setting season opener win over Panthers
Bears fans packed bars across the city Sunday to watch the team’s season opener against the Panthers, erupting in cheers as the Bears delivered a high-scoring victory that fueled optimism for the season ahead.
At Weather Mark Tavern in the South Loop, fans followed every twist of a game that featured big plays, tense moments and plenty of scoring. The crowd celebrated touchdowns, reacted to close calls and watched the Bears post 31 points in the first half before finishing with 59 points.
Fans at the tavern credited quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson for the team’s performance. While Carolina stayed close early, the Bears eventually pulled away.
Expectations were already high following last season’s playoff run, and some fans said the season-opening performance only increased their confidence in the team.
“Last year they obviously proved to be quite competitive. Brand new coach, very imaginative, offensive minded coach. Williams performed, I thought, quite well, and I think they’ve improved their winning game. Swift has looked pretty good today so I’m optimistic myself,” said Bears fan James Compton.
The enthusiasm extended beyond the game itself, with fans praising the team’s loyal following.
Asked how he would describe the Bears fan base, fan Kendall Rasch replied, “Loyal, fantastic, and the best people on earth.”
Others were already looking ahead to the possibility of a championship run.
“I think that we’re going to go to the Super Bowl. I think that we have the possibility to go to the Super Bowl, we have a really good team. I think that the momentum and just the drive from everyone and all of the fans backing us too is really powerful,” said Bears fan Krista Kaleel.
As the game ended, celebrations continued at the South Loop tavern. Fans said there is still a long season ahead, but they could not have asked for a better way to begin it.
Injuries
Bears: LT Braxton Jones left late in the third quarter with an upper-body injury. CB Tyrique Stevenson departed in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.
Panthers: DT Bobby Brown left in the second half with a back injury.
Up next
Bears: Host Minnesota next Sunday.
Panthers: At Atlanta next Sunday.
ABC7 Chicago’s Naomi Ruchim contributed to this report.
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