What is the origin of the Chicago Bears team name?

Team History. The Chicago Bears are one of only two charter members of the National Football League still in existence. Their 1,000-game history started in ... read more

The Chicago Bears were originally named the Decatur Staleys. When the team moved to Chicago, they leased Wrigley Field from Bill Veeck, Sr., then the owner of the Cubs. So, George Halas changed the team name to"Bears" to reflect the fact that they're like the Cubs, but bigger. read more

The organization that eventually became the Chicago Bears, the Decatur Staleys, was originally conceived by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 as a company team. This was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. read more

Origin of NFL Team Names Chicago Bears-When this team became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920, the team was located in Decatur, IL, and was named after team sponsor, the Staley Starch Company. read more