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The Bears' Bob Ross-inspired schedule release video was no "happy accident." 

Rome Odunze's giant afro made him the perfect choice to channel Bob Ross in the Bears' 2026 schedule release video.

The latest: The team tapped wide receiver Rome Odunze to unveil the 2026 schedule in a parody of "The Joy of Painting." 

Context: The video, titled "Happy Little Matchups," parodies Ross' long-running PBS show "The Joy of Painting," with Odunze calmly painting each opponent onto a canvas. 

A man with a large afro and a light blue shirt paints a landscape on an easel, featuring a mountain, lake and trees; he holds a brush and a painter's palette.

Rome Odunze as Bob Ross. Photo: Courtesy of Chicago Bears 

NFL schedule-release videos have become a full-blown social media competition, with teams trying to outdo one another every offseason.

What they're saying: "This is my introduction into the acting world," Odunze tells Axios. "I'm hoping the talent scouts out there are watching this one." 

"I used to put Bob Ross on in the background sometimes to just relax," he added. "So I knew a little bit about it, some of his signature sayings." 

Flashback: The Bears' social media team has built a reputation for creative schedule reveals.

Last year's video featured actor and comedian Lamorne Morris in an action-packed romp with current and former Bears players.

In 2024, the team produced a high school-themed spoof.

In 2023, the Bears paid homage to FX's "The Bear." 

Zoom out: Schedule release videos became an NFL phenomenon after the Seahawks unveiled opponents with cupcakes in 2016.

According to The Athletic, the NFL now shares best practices and examples with teams ahead of schedule release day.

"For the fans, it's kind of a big deal seeing who we're playing," Odunze adds. "But for me, regardless of who is on the schedule, I'm going out there trying to dominate. That's just the mindset." 

The bottom line: The Bears have turned schedule release day into an annual showcase for the team's creativity — and this year's Bob Ross parody may be their best yet.

Bears turn Rome Odunze into Bob Ross for 2026 schedule release

The annual schedule release video has become a trend in the NFL.

Close-up of a smiling man with a large, fluffy afro wearing a navy hoodie at a stadium, with a blurred crowd and stands in the background.

Rome Odunze smiles prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field in January. Photo: Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

The Bears&#x27; Bob Ross-inspired schedule release video was no &quot;happy accident.&quot; Rome Odunze&#x27;s giant afro made him the perfect choice to channel Bob Ross in the Bears&#x27; 2026 schedule release video.The latest: The team tapped wide receiver Rome Odunze to unveil the 2026 schedule in a parody of &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Joy of Painting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxcnsr1R5Ge_fbTu5ajt8DQ" data-vars-content-id="2ee3c4d9-f337-4ca6-a401-4868f1bb94f2" data-vars-headline="Bears turn Rome Odunze into Bob Ross for 2026 schedule release" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxcnsr1R5Ge_fbTu5ajt8DQ" target="_blank">The Joy of Painting</a>.&quot;

Sports

A fan fell almost 12 feet into the visitor's bullpen at Rate Field Wednesday night. The game was delayed as the fan was taken to the hospital in reportedly good condition.

The incident instantly reminded me of all the times fans stopped play or other wild things happened at stadiums in Chicago sports history.

Quiz: The wildest fan moments in Chicago sports history

Can you get a perfect score on the hijinks and history at local stadiums?

Shirtless man in tan shorts leaps on a baseball outfield, arms raised, clutching a blue shirt. A crowd in Cubs gear watches from behind a chain-link fence with ivy-covered walls.

A fan runs onto the field after the game between the Cardinals and the Cubs in 2010. Photo: Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Culture

History

Mayor Brandon Johnson is making a last-ditch push to keep the Bears in Chicago.

Why it matters: The battle over the Bears' next stadium is entering a critical final stretch as Springfield's spring legislative session nears its end.

The latest: The mayor told Crain's he wants the city — not Springfield — to control the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, the agency that finances public stadiums. That would give Chicago more autonomy over how public stadium money is spent.

It's unlikely lawmakers would surrender that authority.

Context: Johnson wants the Bears to remain in a publicly owned stadium in Chicago. The team has instead pushed for a privately controlled stadium and surrounding entertainment district.

What they're saying: "We're still fighting to keep the Bears here in Chicago," Johnson told NBC Chicago. "I was elected to fight for the working people of this city and the Bears staying in the city of Chicago is the best plan." 

State of play: That broader fight over development incentives is now colliding with the Bears debate.

In a press blitz this week, Johnson criticized the "megaprojects" bill pending in the Illinois Senate, which would allow developers to negotiate tax agreements instead of paying standard property taxes.

Johnson is not alone. Several unions — including the Chicago Teachers Union — oppose the measure because property taxes are a major funding source for Chicago Public Schools. The CTU argues that negotiated tax deals could reduce school funding.

Zoom in: After the House passed the "megaprojects" bill in April, supporters hoped the Senate would quickly approve it as part of a broader effort to keep the Bears from pursuing incentives in Indiana.

Yes, but: The legislation has since stalled, with opposition emerging from labor groups, city officials and even the Bears themselves. 

Lawmakers have just over two weeks left in the spring session to reach a deal.

The intrigue: The Bears and the NFL recently said only two stadium sites remain viable: Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana. That raises the possibility that Johnson's latest effort is aimed as much at 2027 voters as the Bears themselves.

Johnson has increasingly positioned himself as an opponent of billionaire-backed development deals ahead of a possible reelection campaign.

Meanwhile, some analysts argue downtown Chicago could see greater economic benefit from a stadium in northwest Indiana than one in suburban Arlington Heights because of tourism, hotel stays and related spending.

The bottom line: Johnson is running short on leverage — and nearly out of time — to keep the Bears in Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Johnson ramps up fight to keep Bears in city

The mayor is running out of time to convince the team and the state legislature.

Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a press conference in March. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Mayor Brandon Johnson is making a last-ditch push to keep the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bears in Chicago" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/27/illinois-senate-bears-stadium-taxes-arlington-heights-indiana" data-vars-content-id="5e59ba3a-86f1-41c5-bfb0-73d314585f89" data-vars-headline="Chicago Mayor Johnson ramps up fight to keep Bears in city" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/27/illinois-senate-bears-stadium-taxes-arlington-heights-indiana" target="_self">Bears in Chicago</a>.Why it matters: The battle over the Bears&#x27; next stadium is entering a critical final stretch as Springfield&#x27;s spring legislative session nears its end.

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The NFL released its 2026-27 schedule Thursday night, and the Bears are clearly one of the league's biggest attractions.

The latest: The Bears landed seven nationally televised games, including two appearances on "Monday Night Football" and a Thanksgiving showdown against Detroit.

Chicago opens the season on the road against Carolina and hosts rival Green Bay on Christmas Day.

Other marquee games include a "Thursday Night Football" game on Oct. 22 against the New England Patriots.

They'll travel to Seattle for a "Monday Night Football" matchup against the defending champion Seahawks on Nov. 2.

The big picture: The Bears have gone from rebuilding project to primetime staple in less than two years under coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.

What they're saying: "It's definitely fun to play on prime time television, and, you know, play, play in front of millions of people," Bears wideout Rome Odunze tells Axios. 

"It adds fuel to the fire, but at the end of the day, we're just looking to go out there to win football games."

Context: The Bears stunned the league last season, winning the NFC North and a playoff game over Green Bay in Johnson's first year as coach.

Chicago led the NFL with seven comeback victories.

Williams emerged as one of the league's breakout stars, regularly landing atop NFL highlight reels with off-script plays and late-game heroics.

Yes, but: Success also brings a tougher path.

Based on last season's records, the Bears are set to play the league's toughest schedule in 2026-27, with opponents posting a combined .550 winning percentage.

Eight of Chicago's 17 games will come against playoff teams. 

"We're looking to build on what we did last year with the playoff run and the exciting games," Odunze adds. "If you're not getting better, you're getting worse."

Of note: The NFL scheduled nine regular-season games across four continents and seven countries — the most international games in league history.

Reality check: The Bears weren't selected for any of them.

The bottom line: The NFL is clearly betting that Caleb Williams and the new-look Bears will continue drawing massive audiences in primetime.

2026 NFL schedule puts Bears in primetime spotlight

The NFL is betting big on the Bears in 2026/2027.

Three excited men on a stadium set; left bearded man in a suit applauds, center a Bears player yells with a foam weight on his head, right a smiling man with a knit cap; BEARS signage in background.

Caleb Williams grates cheese on the set of the "Wildcard on Prime" post game show after beating the Packers in the playoffs last season. Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The NFL released its 2026-27 schedule <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Thursday night" data-vars-click-url="https://www.chicagobears.com/" data-vars-content-id="5fbe8e66-a4d7-4d77-a9c4-941810461bcb" data-vars-headline="2026 NFL schedule puts Bears in primetime spotlight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.chicagobears.com/" target="_blank">Thursday night</a>, and the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bears" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/19/bears-lose-nfc-playoff-rams-caleb-williams-ben-johnson-matt-stafford" data-vars-content-id="5fbe8e66-a4d7-4d77-a9c4-941810461bcb" data-vars-headline="2026 NFL schedule puts Bears in primetime spotlight" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/01/19/bears-lose-nfc-playoff-rams-caleb-williams-ben-johnson-matt-stafford" target="_self">Bears</a> are clearly one of the league&#x27;s biggest attractions.The latest: The Bears landed seven nationally televised games, including two appearances on &quot;Monday Night Football&quot; and a Thanksgiving showdown against Detroit.

Chicago has exported plenty to the rest of the country — deep-dish pizza, Malört and maybe most importantly, improv.

The latest: Bluebird Improv is bringing a rare homecoming of Chicago improv veterans to the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building this Saturday. 

Context: Bluebird is a collective featuring some of the world's best improvisers. The cast, which features several former Second City and iO performers, rotates from show to show. 

On Saturday, former Chicagoans Matt Walsh, Stephnie Weir, Joe Canale, Marc Evan Jackson and Brad Morris will take the stage. 

How it works: Instead of taking audience suggestions, the cast starts a short conversation with the audience and creates a show full of scenes and characters based on it.

Three men on a dark stage: two seated on the left and right, one standing between them and leaning forward. Casual plaid and light shirts; visible lapel mics.

Matt Walsh, Joe Canale and Brad Morris recently performed at a Bluebird show. Photo: Courtesy of Bluebird

What they're saying: "Most of us came up in Chicago," Morris tells Axios. "Being able to play with heroes, old friends and make new ones is very special. I think audiences can feel it." 

Zoom in: The ensemble, which also features Tim Meadows, Rachel Dratch and Edi Patterson, has toured Denver, Portland, Boston and Milwaukee over the last few months. 

"Whether in a big city or a small town, the energy at these shows is fantastic," Morris adds. 

Zoom out: The city is the birthplace of modern improv, from Viola Spolin and Paul Sills' early theater games to the founding of The Second City in Old Town.

In the 1980s, Del Close and Charna Halpern helped pioneer long-form improv at iO with "The Harold," a format that influenced generations of performers.

Between the lines: It's rare for Chicago improvisers — especially those who move on to Hollywood — to reunite for long-form shows.

Most homecoming appearances are limited to festival sets or late-night drop-ins at The Second City, iO or Annoyance Theatre.

"We all started out wanting to play in front of great, hungry, smart audiences," Morris says. "Now we are getting back to doing that at a time when audiences seem to want it as much as we do."

The bottom line: For longtime improv fans, Saturday's show offers something increasingly rare — a chance to see Chicago comedy veterans return to the art form and audiences that shaped them.

If you go: The show is Saturday at 7:30pm at the Studebaker Theater. 

Bluebird brings improv stars back to Chicago

The comedy collective hits the Studebaker Theater on Saturday.

Black-and-white photo of four men on a theater stage: two stand facing each other center stage, one sits on a chair to the right, audience seated in the dim background, ornate stage side.

Matt Walsh, Marc Evan Jackson, Brad Morris and Joe Canale perform at a recent Bluebird show. Photo: Courtesy of Bluebird 

Chicago has exported plenty to the rest of the country — deep-dish pizza, Malört and maybe most importantly, improv.The latest: Bluebird Improv is bringing a rare homecoming of Chicago improv veterans to the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building this Saturday.

Justin Kaufmann

Featured stories

Chicago Mayor Johnson ramps up fight to keep Bears in city

Quiz: The wildest fan moments in Chicago sports history

Bears turn Rome Odunze into Bob Ross for 2026 schedule release

2026 NFL schedule puts Bears in primetime spotlight

Bluebird brings improv stars back to Chicago