At Soldier Field, Chicago Bears fans create an environment that ranks among the NFL’s most electric. That’s especially true when the Bears look like legitimate contenders. Under head coach Ben Johnson, Chicago won its division and defeated its hated rival in the wild-card round of the 2025 playoffs. The excitement around the team is stronger than ever, but perhaps the noise is coming at some less-than-ideal times.
Bears tight end Cole Kmet addressed that issue with reporters this week. He praised the energy inside the stadium but asked fans to do him and the offense a favor: tone it down when the Bears have the ball.
“P.S.A. to the fans: They need to be quiet when we’re on offense,” Kmet said via Chicago Sun-Times. “It is ridiculous. It’s insane. I appreciate the energy, but take note from Minnesota how quiet it is when their guys are on offense … I mean, I love the enthusiasm. You can be as loud as you want on defense. It’s just that we’re trying to communicate and get off on the cadence and it’s hard to do that when the fans screaming on third-and-short. But it’s all good. I appreciate it.”
Quiet: Offense at Work
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It’s an interesting request because fans typically understand that they should quiet down when their offense takes the field. However, when an offense can strike at any moment like the Bears’ unit can, it’s easy to see why the excitement gets out of control.
Chicago fans are yearning for a championship to return to the Windy City. With Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, they have reason to believe they can make that happen.
Still, Kmet makes a good point. Even at home, teams look for every advantage they can find against their opponents. Creating excessive noise while the home offense is on the field can make communication more difficult and potentially give the opposing defense an advantage.
Bears fans demonstrated how powerful their presence can be when they took over Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in 2022. However, dominating the atmosphere on the road is different from creating noise at home while your own offense is trying to communicate.
Bears Need to Stack Wins With Caleb Williams Out
The biggest consideration is the Bears’ need to stack wins while Williams recovers from a hamstring injury. Chicago needs to take advantage of every possible edge to help whoever starts at quarterback this week.
Case Keenum had a strong outing operating Johnson’s offense. Another performance like that could be enough to push the Bears past the Jets, but the offense will need to communicate effectively to make that happen.
Speaking of the Jets, they have a familiar face on the opposite sideline in head coach Aaron Glenn. Glenn coached alongside Johnson in Detroit, giving him a unique understanding of how Johnson builds his offense and approaches game planning.
So, yes, Bears fans should listen to Kmet’s request.
When the offense is at work, go into library mode.
Until they score, that is.
