2010 Chicago Bears season
Owner	The McCaskey Family
General manager	Jerry Angelo
Head coach	Lovie Smith
Home field	Soldier Field
Results
Record	11–5
Division place	1st NFC North
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Seahawks) 35–24 Lost NFC Championship (vs. Packers) 14–21
Pro Bowlers	DE Julius Peppers OLB Lance Briggs MLB Brian Urlacher PR/KR Devin Hester[1]
AP All-Pros	DE Julius Peppers KR Devin Hester LB Brian Urlacher (2nd team) S Chris Harris (2nd team)
Uniform
← 2009 Bears seasons 2011 →

The 2010 season was the Chicago Bears' 91st season in the National Football League, and the seventh under head coach Lovie Smith.

Coming off a 7–9 record in the 2009 season and failing to qualify for the NFL playoffs for a third consecutive season, the Bears sought to develop their roster and improve on their record in 2010, particularly their standing in the NFC North. All Bears home games were scheduled to be played at Soldier Field. With their final regular season record at 11–5, the Bears improved drastically on their 2009 record. Their regular season finished with their first playoff appearance since the Super Bowl season of 2006, winning the NFC North division and earning a bye as the NFC's second seed. The Bears won their first game in the Divisional round of the playoffs, defeating the Seattle Seahawks, to advance to the NFC Championship game. However, their season came to an end with a 21–14 loss to their longtime rivals and eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

This was the last time the Bears won the NFC North and appeared in the postseason until 2018. This is also the most recent season the Bears won a playoff game.

Offseason

Coaching changes

On January 5, 2010, Chicago fired offensive coordinator Ron Turner as well as position coaches Pep Hamilton (quarterbacks), Rob Boras (tight ends), and Harry Hiestand (offensive line). Quality control assistants Luke Butkus and Charles London did not have their respective contracts renewed. While it's unclear whether or not former defensive coordinator Bob Babich will be brought back as a linebackers coach or released, his contract will not be extended under its current terms.

Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice was selected to succeed Hiestand as the Bears' offensive line coach on January 15.^[2]

After nearly a month-long search for Turner's replacement, on February 1, 2010, former St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz was hired to the Chicago coaching staff as offensive coordinator.^[3]

Following the Martz hire, Mike DeBord, former college head coach and Seattle Seahawks position coach, as a tight ends coach.^[4]

With the addition of Martz and DeBord in the offseason, the amount of experience on the staff grew. These two offseason acquisitions joined defensive line coach (and former Detroit Lions head coach), Rod Marinelli.

In a series of moves finalizing their 2010 coaching roster, the Bears hired former San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Shane Day (an assistant to Mike Martz during his tenure in San Francisco) and quality control coaches Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Mikal Smith, assigned to the offense and defense, respectively. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was promoted to defensive coordinator and his assistant, Eric Washington, was promoted to the vacated position.

On April 27, 2010, the Bears allowed the contract of director of college scouting, Greg Gabriel, a member of the Bears scouting staff since 2001, to expire. There has been no announcement regarding who will succeed him.

In a long anticipated move, on April 30, the Bears welcomed former Seattle Seahawks officer Tim Ruskell to assume the post of director of pro personnel at Halas Hall.

2010 NFL Draft

Draft pick trades

• In 2009, Chicago traded their second round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Gaines Adams.
• In 2009, the Bears traded their 2010 first round pick (along with 2009 NFL Draft selections and quarterback Kyle Orton) to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler.

2010 Chicago Bears draft choices

Training Camp

The Bears announced in April that the first Training Camp session will be held on July 30, 2010, at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. This is preceded by the official Rookie Mini-Camp which traditionally is held the weekend following the NFL Draft at Halas Hall, this year beginning on April 30.

Rookie Mini-Camp

A total of 54 players were listed on the roster sheet for the Chicago Bears' April 30 – May 3 Rookie Mini-Camp at Halas Hall. In addition to the five drafted rookies and the 13 rookie signees, the Bears invited 31 undrafted free agents to participate on a try-out basis.

Summary of offseason roster changes

Final roster