The top 10 stories in Chicago sports from 2025: Derrick Rose, Sammy Sosa return; Ben Johnson, Bears find success

We’ve had ups, we’ve had downs. We’ve seen some embrace the rise to stardom and others crack under pressure. It hasn’t been all smooth sailing this year in Chicago sports, but reflecting on the most important storylines in the city sheds light on the promise of a prosperous future. After all, what more could we ask for after the last several years of…meh?

From Derrick Rose to Ben Johnson to Steve McMichael, there were plenty of stories that you followed with us this past year. Between the return, birth and loss of legendary figures, let’s count down the top 10 moments in Chicago’s sports landscape of 2025.

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10. Derrick Rose comes home

From Chicago.

Derrick Rose’s career with the Chicago Bulls is worthy of one of the lengthiest “What If” conversations in Chicago sports history. In fact, life with a healthy Rose ranked seventh in our “What If” rankings earlier this year. Traded to the New York Knicks in 2016, Rose’s departure ended an era that left plenty to be desired. After officially announcing his retirement from basketball three months earlier, his triumphant return on January 4th to a sold-out United Center crowd became a healing moment, not just for Rose but for Bulls fans.

Following an emotional halftime celebration that featured a speech from Rose and a tribute from ex-Bulls center Joakim Noah, the Bulls added the cherry on top: a come-from-behind 139-126 victory over the Knicks led by Zach LaVine and Coby White, who both scored 33 points.

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9. Pope Leo XIV changes White Sox’s fortunes

Da Pope!

Robert Francis Prevost of Dolton, Ill., was elected the 266th pope in the history of the Catholic church on May 8th. Despite the Cubs‘ attempt to claim Pope Leo XIV as one of their own, Prevost’s brother, Louis, confirmed that His Holiness was indeed a White Sox fan and in attendance for Game 1 of the 2005 World Series.

One month after becoming the head of the church came the first miracle in ages for the White Sox: an agreement between chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and minority owner Justin Ishbia, paving a path for Ishbia to seize control of the ballclub from Reinsdorf. That agreement stated that from 2029-2033, Reinsdorf will have the option to sell the controlling interest to Ishbia. After the 2034 season, Ishbia will have the option to acquire the controlling interest.

Then, on December 9th, the White Sox were awarded the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft via the MLB Draft Lottery.

Amen.

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8. The rise of Pete Crow-Armstrong & Colson Montgomery

Despite divine intervention, the future isn’t just bright on the South Side; it’s glowing on the North Side, too.

Pete Crow-Armstrong entered his second full season in the majors as a likely candidate to compete for a Rawlings Gold Glove. Any positive offensive output would’ve been an unexpected bonus. Crow-Armstrong exceeded those expectations and then some, holding up his end of the bargain in the outfield while becoming one of the most dangerous members of the Cubs’ lineup. He cooled off in the second half, as did most of the Cubs, but Crow-Armstrong entered the All-Star Game with 25 home runs, 27 stolen bases and an .846 OPS.

On September 26th, Crow-Armstrong became the first Cub to ever hit 30 home runs and 30 doubles and steal 30 bases in the same season.

Meanwhile, over at 35th & Shields, the White Sox had their own budding star: Colson Montgomery.

In April, Montgomery, still in Triple-A, was sent back to Arizona to essentially relearn his plate mechanics after his strikeout rate ballooned to begin the year. He didn’t get his call-up to the majors until July. He debuted on July 4th and on July 22nd hit his first home run of the season.

From that point forward, Montgomery became one of baseball’s best power bats, keeping pace with Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber throughout the second half of the season. Montgomery finished his rookie campaign with 21 home runs while slashing .239/.311/.529.

Baseball is certainly in good hands in Chicago.

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7. Cubs win first playoff series since 2017

[ W ]

The 2025 Cubs didn’t have enough magic to rally past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race and again in the NLDS. They still provided one heck of a ride. From comeback victories early in the season to Cade Horton’s emergence as a potential ace, the 2025 season still brought plenty of great moments.

None better than winning their first postseason series since 2017. It took all three games of a best-of-three against the San Diego Padres, but the Cubs’ sensational bullpen, with a little boost from a Michael Busch solo home run, propelled the Cubs past the Friars.

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6. Blackhawks acquire Spencer Knight; Connor Bedard emerges as superstar

From the moment Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones voiced his displeasure with the aggravating pace of the organization’s rebuild, the writing was on the wall for his eventual departure.

The question wasn’t if he’d be moved, but rather what the Blackhawks could reasonably get in return. With a massive $9.5 million AAV on the books through 2030, moving Jones felt like a deal the Blackhawks could lopsidedly lose. Instead, general manager Kyle Davidson pulled off a heist, sending Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers for goaltender Spencer Knight and a 2026 conditional first-round selection. Knight quickly became the Blackhawks’ starter and flashed occasional brilliance not seen in Chicago since Corey Crawford stood between the pipes.

Then, with the Blackhawks hiring ex-Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill in the offseason, Connor Bedard’s 2025-26 season got off to a riproarin’ start, beginning his ascent to superstardom. In his first 30 games of the year, Bedard scored 19 goals and 25 assists, putting him on pace for the best season in a Blackhawks uniform since Denis Savard scored 131 points in 1987-88. Bedard finished the calendar year on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, but after seasons of frustration in Chicago, the light at the end of the rebuild tunnel has become quite visible.

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5. Sammy Sosa, Anthony Rizzo return to Wrigley Field

What’s Wrigley Field without the players who’ve made it historic?

Sammy Sosa’s 545 home runs are still the most by a player in a Cubs uniform. Shunned by the team due to allegations of steroid use, Sosa wasn’t welcomed back to Wrigley Field for 21 years. That ended this past summer when Sosa and the organization patched up their old wounds, beginning with an appearance at the Cubs’ convention back in January and culminating with Sosa and ex-Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in September.

Days later, Anthony Rizzo announced he would sign a one-day deal to officially retire from baseball with the club he’d won a World Series with back in 2016. The team also gave Rizzo an official role as a team ambassador. With Rizzo sitting in the bleachers following his retirement alongside Cindy Crawford and Eddie Vedder, Cubs rookie Moises Ballesteros roped his first career home run directly to Rizzo, who couldn’t make the catch.

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4. Bears win at Lambeau Field for first time since 2015

Caleb Williams‘ rookie season was coming to an underwhelming close. The Bears had fired Matt Eberflus four weeks earlier, marking the first time the league’s charter franchise had let go of a head coach during the season. Thomas Brown, who began the season as the Bears’ pass game coordinator, was 0-4 in the interim role.

Heading up to Lambeau Field to wrap a bow on an abysmal year felt like punishment. The Bears hadn’t won in Green Bay since Thanksgiving Day in 2015, when Jay Cutler and company crashed the Packers’ literal party honoring Brett Favre.

Then the unthinkable happened. Josh Blackwell’s 94-yard punt return put the Bears on the board first. D’Andre Swift’s four-yard touchdown run and Williams’ 32-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore kept the Bears ahead…until kicker Brandon McManus put the Packers ahead with 54 seconds left.

Classic Bears, right? Wrong. Williams, aided by a facemask penalty, moved the Bears down the field and into Cairo Santos’ range. And as time expired, Santos drilled a 51-yarder to pull off the upset, 24-22.

Curse lifted.

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3. Chicago loses Virginia McCaskey, Steve McMichael, Ryne Sandberg & Bobby Jenks

Unfortunately, this year wasn’t without tragic and unfathomable loss. On February 6th, Bears owner and matriarch Virginia McCaskey died at 102. On April 23rd, former Bears defensive lineman, Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and all-time personality Steve “Mongo” McMichael lost his years-long battle with ALS at 67. Then on July 4th, World Series champion and ex-White Sox closer Bobby Jenks succumbed to his battle with stomach cancer at 45. On July 28th, after announcing his pancreatic cancer had returned eight months prior, Cubs legendary second baseman Ryne “Ryno” Sandberg died at 65.

McCaskey was a trailblazer. Mongo, Jenks and Ryno were idols. Their legacies are undying.

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2. Caleb ‘Iceman’ Williams completes miraculous comeback vs. Packers

Remember that Bears last-second come-from-behind win?

Which one? Against the Raiders? The Commanders? The Bengals? The Giants? The Vikings?

No, the other one.

Oh, you mean one of the most statistically unlikely comebacks in football history against the Packers?

That’s the one.

The Bears had no business beating the Packers at Soldier Field on December 20th. Down 10 just before the two-minute warning, it felt like the wheels were coming off the Bears’ offense. Then Cairo Santos cut the deficit to seven. Then Santos kicked the most perfect onside kick, bouncing into Packers receiver Romeo Doubs’ chest before Josh Blackwell scooped the ball off the ground to give the Bears a shot to make some more magic.

Caleb Williams connected with DJ Moore to put the Bears within striking distance as the clock wound down. On fourth-and-4 from the Packers’ 6, Williams hit rookie Jahdae Walker for his second career reception and first touchdown. Life. Santos’ extra point sent the ballgame into overtime.

Chaos ensued. Packers quarterback Malik Willis fumbled the snap on fourth-and-1, and four plays later, Williams hit Moore perfectly in stride for a 46-yard touchdown to seal it in overtime. Have you ever seen a building with 58,000-plus shake violently? This was the one that finally let Bears fans believe.

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1. Bears hire Ben Johnson, win NFC North

Where would we be without Ben Johnson?

The ex-Lions offensive coordinator was introduced as the Bears’ head coach on January 22nd. Less than one year later, Johnson has completely revolutionized the Bears’ offense and culture. From his “Good, Better, Best” chants in the locker room after wins to his defiant accountability regardless of result, Johnson has become the most popular man in Chicago.

Heck, the guy ripped off his shirt after a win to earn Chicago free hot dogs from The Wieners Circle. Try ingratiating yourself with a city better than that. Newsflash: you can’t.

Johnson didn’t waver when the Bears began 0-2 either. Instead, he said the Bears’ practice habits were yet to reflect the efforts of a championship-caliber team. Since that moment, the Bears are 11-3 and set to host the first playoff football game at Soldier Field since 2018 as winners of the NFC North.

Chicago got their guy and it changed everything.

Thanks to Johnson, the possibilities are endless and the ceilings are roofless (shoutout, MJ) heading into 2026.