2011 Chicago Bears season
| 2011 Chicago Bears season | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Head coach | Lovie Smith |
| General manager | Jerry Angelo |
| Owner | The McCaskey Family |
| Home field | Soldier Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–8 |
| Division place | 3rd NFC North |
| Playoff finish | did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers |
Matt Forte, RB Lance Briggs, OLB Brian Urlacher, MLB Charles Tillman, CB Corey Graham, CB |
| AP All-Pros | Devin Hester, PR/KR (2nd team) |
The 2011 Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 92nd overall season in the National Football League, and the 8th under head coach Lovie Smith. The Bears, defending NFC North Division champions, attempted a return to the playoffs after falling in the NFC Championship Game to their arch-rivals the Green Bay Packers. The club was scheduled to partake in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game but due to the lockout, the game was cancelled. The Bears traveled to Wembley Stadium in London to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL International Series and played the Packers on Christmas Day evening in the only scheduled game on that day. The Bears finished the season with an 8–8 record and did not qualify for the playoffs to date.
After the 2010 season ended, the NFL entered its longest work stoppage in history. The lockout began after a failure to reach an agreement between the owners and the union in early March. Both sides agreed to extend the deadline another week. However, the talks broke down and the union officially decertified, after which a group of 10 players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. After months of failed negations, the two sides finally reached an agreement in late July. The owners announced on July 21 that it had approved a new collective bargaining agreement by a 31–0–1 margin (the Oakland Raiders abstained). On July 25, the players association's executive board voted to approve the new collective agreement and the players voted to ratify it on August 4. The delayed start to the season brought free agency and the opening of training camps to coincide. This gave clubs a short period of time to get a full roster signed before camp opened.
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