The Art Institute of Chicago lions celebrate the Super Bowl
Photograph: Señor CodoThe Art Institute of Chicago lions celebrate the Super Bowl
Photograph: Señor Codo

43 things that have happened since the Bears won the Super Bowl

We don't mean to be impatient, but we can't wait to see Jay Cutler do the Super Bowl Shuffle

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On January 26, 1986, the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots and won Super Bowl XX. Since then, the Bears have only made it back to the big game on one occasion, in 2006 when they were defeated by the Indianapolis Colts. Much like we're accustomed to killing time while deep dish pizza bakes, we're used to waiting around for our city's teams to win championships (Cubs fans have been singing the blues for more than a century). That being said, we really want to see Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall do the Super Bowl Shuffle. 

RECOMMENDED: Our guide to the Chicago Bears

Just to give you an idea of how long it's been since the Bears finished the season on top, we put together a list of some important events that have occured since the 1986 Super Bowl.

June 11, 1986 - Ferris Bueller’s Day Off premieres

Ferris Bueller

September 8, 1986 - The Oprah Winfrey Show airs for the first time

August 17, 1987 - Charlie Trotter’s opens

July 31, 1987 - Madonna’s first outdoor performance in Chicago at Soldier Field

Madonna

August 8, 1988 - First night game at Wrigley Field

September 26, 1989 - Cubs clinch first of four division titles since 1985

September 30, 1990 - Last game at the old Comiskey Park

February 14, 1990 - Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is born

April 13, 1991 - Steppenwolf Theatre Company moves into its current location, going from 211 to 515 seats

October 7, 1991 - Harold Washington Library opens

April 13, 1992 - 250 million gallons of water flood the Loop

Chicago Flood

February 21, 1993 - CTA train lines are assigned colors, tourists become less confused

September 9, 1994 - Last game at Chicago Stadium

August 15, 1995 - Chief Keef is born

1996 - State Street pedestrian mall closes and cars return to the street

1997 - Kanye West becomes a college dropout

Kanye

October 1997 - Millennium Park construction begins and it seems like they have plenty of time to finish

September 4, 1998 - Google is founded—only 40 more years until it becomes self aware and initiates Judgement Day

1999 - Chicago’s first Chipotle opens, burrito lovers rejoice

February 20, 1999 - Film critic Gene Siskel dies

Gene Siskel

January 15, 2000- The Coctails play the final show at Lounge Ax

March 31, 2000- High Fidelity, filmed in Wicker Park, premieres

January 2001 - Hot Doug’s opens its original location in Roscoe Village, the one with shorter lines

Hot dog

April 23, 2002 - Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is released

April 16, 2003 - Michael Jordan’s final game—as a Washington Wizard

July 31, 2003 - Mike Ditka becomes the official spokesman for erectile dysfunction drug Levitra

February 10, 2004 - Kanye West releases The College Dropout

Kanye West

July 16, 2004 - Millennium Park opens (only four years late)

September 23, 2004 - Thanks to extensive renovations, Soldier Field is delisted as a national historical landmark

July 23, 2005 - Chicago becomes the permanent home of Lollapalooza and a yearly influx of dudes in tank tops

October 26, 2005 - White Sox win the World Series, while the Cubs continue to flounder

June 25, 2006 - Trains begin running on the CTA's Pink Line 

September 9, 2006 - Marshall Field’s becomes Macy’s on State Street

September 14, 2007 - Chicago enters its bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic games

January 1, 2008 - The Smoke Free Illinois Act goes into effect, banning smoking in public places

Don Draper

January 29, 2009 - Rod Blagojevich is removed from office

May 16, 2009 - The Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing opens

Summer 2010 - Longman & Eagle opens, beginning Logan Square's endless chain of restaurant openings

Sept 6, 2011 - The water in the Chicago River is upgraded from "toxic" to "highly polluted", but you still shouldn't swim in it

May 2012 - Soldier Field becomes the first stadium in the NFL to achieve LEED certification

April 24, 2013 - Time Out Chicago goes digital-only

May 13, 2014 - Mike Ditka becomes the official spokesman for Al's Beef

Ditka

September 9, 2015 - Time Out Chicago releases a free fall print issue.

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