Bears penalty data reveals questionable officiating trend

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Bears penalty data reveals questionable officiating trend

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Dan Benton | Last updated May 9, 2026 9:15 AM ET

The Chicago Bears encountered a notable pattern in NFL officiating during the 2025 season and the preceding three years.

Data compiled by Sharp Football Analysis shows that Bears opponents were flagged for only 678 penalty yards across 17 games, the lowest total in the league against an average of 871 yards. This ranking placed Chicago dead last for the third time in four seasons, with opponents also finishing first- through seventh-fewest in penalty yards in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Across 2022-2025, the Bears recorded the largest net penalty-yard disadvantage in the NFL at -795 yards. Their offense received the fewest first downs awarded via opponent penalties, while opposing offenses gained the fourth-most first downs from flags against Chicago.

net penalty yards since 2022:

-795 – Chicago Bears
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-584 – New York Jets
-507 – Tennessee Titans
-454 – New England Patriots
-416 – Baltimore Ravens
-356 – Denver Broncos
-307 – Kansas City Chiefs
-276 – Arizona Cardinals
-268 – Houston Texans
-234 – Philadelphia…
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 8, 2026

Specific calls followed a similar trend: Opponents were penalized for roughing the passer on Bears quarterbacks just seven times—the league minimum—while Bears defenders drew 17 such flags, second-most in the league.

Analyst Warren Sharp notes that these disparities, drawn from official league statistics, represent an outlier pattern rather than random variation. Although the Bears posted an 11-6 record and claimed a division title in 2025, the sustained imbalance has renewed debate over officiating equity without conclusive evidence of intent.

The trend underscores how penalty outcomes can influence close contests and long-term team performance, but also raises some legitimate concerns about a potential “Bears tax.”

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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