Mack spent 2018-2021 in Chicago, delivering 36.0 sacks across four seasons and earning three Pro Bowl selections along with first- and second-team All-Pro nods. He helped the Bears win the NFC North in 2018, a standout season that established him as a defining defensive cornerstone before he was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers in March 2022.
In recent years, Mack’s on-field production has fluctuated with age and injuries. He posted a career-best 17.0 sacks in 2023 with the Chargers, but followed with 6.0 sacks in 2024 (16 games) and 5.5 sacks in 12 games in 2025, limited by an elbow injury that sidelined him for a month. Even as his role has evolved, when healthy he remains a disruptive presence off the edge.
For a potential Bears return, Mack would join a jeune but talented pass-rush rotation that already includes Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, with Austin Booker also in the mix. The idea would be to leverage his veteran presence while managing his snap count to keep him fresh and effective.
The inkling of a 2026 reunion comes as Chicago — the 2025 NFC North champions — continues to push for sustained pressure without breaking the bank. Whether Mack would return to a franchise that once traded him remains a question, though the mutual fit as a high-m-impact, cost-controlled veteran is a point of consideration for both sides.
Ultimately, Mack has cited a Super Bowl as his ongoing goal, leaving retirement as a possibility but not a certainty. His decision in 2026 will hinge on factors like team competitive status, health, and family considerations, with the Bears viewed by some as a plausible destination if the stars align.
