Bears paint a pretty picture with their 2026 schedule release

The Chicago Bears' 2026 schedule is out, and as expected, the team got creative with the announcement. Schedule release day for NFL teams is a chance for their marketing departments to flex their muscles to deliver the news in a fun and creative manner.

In recent years, the Bears have stepped up their game to produce some of the better schedule videos in the league. They have parodied old John Hughes movies, as well as FX's "The Bear," and enlisted the help of actor Lamorne Morris in last year's video. This time, they kept things simple by focusing on just one of their players who portrayed an iconic artist.

Did the Bears paint a masterpiece? Here is our annual review of the team's schedule release video:

The premise

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Rome Odunze #15 of the Chicago Bears looks on prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Soldier Field on November 10, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

After a few years of elaborate skits and cameos, the Bears decided to dial things back in 2026 and featured wide receiver Rome Odunze cosplaying as Bob Ross in an episode of The Joy of Painting. Odunze donned Ross' patented light blue button-down and let out his hair to mimic the artist's unmistakable afro. Like Ross, Odunze narrated the video in a soft voice as he began to paint.

Odunze paints a forest background and begins to add the different opponents the Bears are set to face. He adds "happy little birds" in the sky to represent the and , a few ships on the lake for the and , and some critters for the , , and . He even brings in a cheese grater to add texture to the trees. As Odunze says, "Be brave" when creating art.