4 Years of NFL Penalty Data Exposed

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Does the NFL unfairly penalize the Chicago Bears?

Is there something called the “Bears Tax?”

It was a question I never even considered before yesterday, when I compiled total penalty yardage called on opponents in 2025 games.

Bears opponents had a total of 678 penalty yards across 17 games.

Fewest of any team in the NFL.

The NFL average was 871 penalty yards.

Nearly 200 more yards.

After I posted the data for all 32 teams and the nugget on the Bears, I was inundated with Bears fans complaining about the “Bears tax.”

Tax Relief for Bears Fans

I write more about the impact of these penalties in the Bears chapter of my 2026 Football Preview book

I also cover penalties league-wide, along with which teams have been hurt or helped most

To provide relief for Bears fans who have been taxed for years -> use code BEARSTAXRELIEF to save $5 off the 500+ page 2026 Preview Book.

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What Is the Bears Tax?

I had never heard of the term.

“Bears tax”

Apparently, for some time, a contingent of the Bears fanbase has been upset with the way the NFL calls Bears games and unfairly penalizes the team.

And the opposite is true of their opponents.

So I dug into it.

The results in recent years certainly do not dispel the conspiracy theory of a “Bears tax.”

Bears Opponents Ranked Last in Penalty Yards: A Four-Year Pattern

Over the last four years, having very few penalties called on their opponents has been the standard for Chicago.

Bears opponent’s rank penalty yards:

2025: #1 fewest
2024: #7 fewest
2023: #1 fewest
2022: #1 fewest

And over the last four years combined:

Bears rank in penalty yards called against opponents?

#1 fewest

Bears rank in penalties called against opponents?

#1 fewest

But it’s not just infrequent penalties called against opponents.

There’s also this:

First downs awarded TO THE BEARS via penalties called on opponents?

#1 fewest

The combination of the #1 fewest penalties called on opponents, along with the #1 fewest first downs given to the Bears offense because of opponents, leads to this wild stat:

No team is close to the amount of net penalty yards to the detriment of their team like the Chicago Bears.

Let’s discuss a few other penalty nuggets to include that provide more details over these last four years.

Opponent roughing the passer penalties on Bears QBs:

7 total, fewest in NFL

Bears penalties on roughing the opponent’s QB:

17 total, #2 most in NFL

Total first downs awarded via penalty:

Bears offense?

Fewest first downs via penalty in NFL

Opponent offenses when playing the Bears?

#4 most first downs via penalty in NFL

And a few more, just for good measure:

• Opponent DPI penalties when playing the Bears: #1 fewest in NFL
• Opponent roughing the passer penalties when playing the Bears: #2 fewest in NFL
• Opponent unnecessary roughness penalties when playing the Bears: #3 fewest in NFL
• Opponent offensive holding penalties when playing the Bears: #4 fewest in NFL