The Detroit Lions' 2026 schedule is slowly coming into focus, and the latest leak has fans circling their calendars for a potential late-season thriller. According to the Lions schedule tracker LionsRoyalty, Detroit is set to face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Week 17—setting up a dramatic second matchup between these NFC North rivals.

This news comes on the heels of reports that the Lions will host the Bears on Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field. If both leaks hold true, the NFL is saving the best for last, scheduling both Lions-Bears clashes during the critical stretch run of the regular season.

This isn't your typical rivalry game anymore. The Bears enter 2026 as the defending NFC North champions, while the Lions remain one of the conference's elite contenders under head coach Dan Campbell. But the real story here is the added drama: former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now leading Chicago as head coach. Johnson knows Detroit's roster, playbook, and culture inside out—instantly elevating the stakes every time these two teams meet.

History adds another layer of intrigue. The Lions swept the Bears in the 2025 season, even though Chicago ultimately claimed the division title. Both teams are expected to be in the thick of the NFC North race again this year, meaning these back-to-back matchups in the final six weeks could carry enormous playoff implications.

The Thanksgiving showdown at Ford Field is already shaping up to be one of the NFL's marquee holiday games. Now, with a potential Week 17 rematch in Chicago, fans could be treated to one of the biggest division games of the entire season—a true chess match between two teams with championship aspirations and a deep, personal rivalry.

While the NFL hasn't officially confirmed any of these leaks, the picture is becoming clearer by the hour. And if these reports are accurate, the league clearly sees the Lions and Bears as a must-watch rivalry for the 2026 season.