In 2024, Chicago sports as a whole took a beating.
The Bears wrapped up their season with a disappointing 5-12 record, even parting ways with their head coach midseason. The Blackhawks finished last in their division with a 17-31 record, and the White Sox ended the season 41-121, setting a modern MLB-era record for most losses. I’m sorry to report that the only Chicago team with a winning record last year was the Cubs, who ended 83-79.
That’s still not that great, Northsiders.
Fortunately, because we live in Chicago, we can call all these terrible seasons “a building year” and move on with our lives.
Fortunately, in Chicago, every rough season is just “a building year.” So, while 2024 may have been tough, the focus now shifts to the future.
The Bears have already made great strides toward returning to the Super Bowl (or, at the very least, a winning record, which feels almost as good) by hiring former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach, replacing Matt Eberflus, who is now the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. Enjoy “America’s Team,” Chicago won’t miss you.
Johnson’s work with Jared Goff was impressive, helping him throw for 4,629 yards and a career-high 37 touchdowns in 2024. It’s especially remarkable after Goff’s career appeared over when the Rams shipped him to Detroit. Johnson’s turnaround with the Lions nearly led them to a Conference Championship, a huge step for a franchise long written off as a “poverty team.”
Let’s hope Bears second-year quarterback Caleb Williams can now truly shine in a franchise known for making quarterbacks particularly miserable with the proper coaching.
Speaking of miserable, let’s chat about the Southsiders who cannot catch a break.
Fortunately for White Sox fans, they can’t possibly get worse in 2025, right?
Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA projections (think of them as baseball’s version of the Farmer’s Almanac) show the White Sox remaining in last place by a significant margin but having a 21-game improvement over the previous season with a projected record of 62-100.
Progress, not perfection.
They also improved their farm system, which consists of players under the control of a major league team. These players are either signed as free agents or drafted, and they progress through a network of minor league teams that help develop talent and feed players up to the majors.
Southside Showdown reports the White Sox have six prospects among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 rankings. While the 2025 White Sox will likely lose 100 games for the third-straight season, there is hope that Chicago’s Southside team can return to being competitive as soon as 2027.
Like I said, building year.
They’ve also picked up a fair amount of veterans in the off-season, right-hander Bryse Wilson, outfielders Mike Tauchman and Austin Slater and catcher Matt Thaiss, to name a few.
Speaking of solid recruitment choices, the Blackhawks haven’t had a winning season since their 2019-20 season, despite signing superstar Connor Bedard.
With a record of 19-35-7, this season seems to be headed in a similar direction
In addition to the Blackhawks, the Bulls also are still in full swing, sitting at 10th in their conference with a 24-37 record and 21 games left in their season.
FOX Sports reported that if the season ended today, the Bulls would be placed at a 10-seed going into the April 15-18 NBA Play-In Tournament, determining their advancement into the playoffs, which they haven’t done since 2022, the first qualification since the 2016-17 season.
The Bulls also granted Lonzo Ball a 2-year, $20 million extension on Feb. 14 after he missed two seasons due to a meniscus tear and transplant.
“Along with an outstanding team of doctors, trainers, and medical staff, Zo embraced adversity and exemplified resilience,” Arturas Karnisovas, EVP of basketball operations, told Sports Illustrated. “His diligence to do what was necessary and his commitment to himself and this team truly speaks to his character.”
So maybe Chicago sports won’t break records anytime soon, but they will hopefully be on the uptick in the coming seasons.
[Stats as of 3/4]
