Chicago Bears Bag Policy 2015

The first time I went to Soldier Field, I showed up with a messenger bag slung over my shoulder like I was heading to a coffee shop, not a football game. I had my wallet, a phone charger, and—unforgivably—a small umbrella. The security guard looked at me the way a cat looks at a cucumber. “You can’t bring that in,” she said, pointing at my bag like it was a live raccoon. So I spent the first quarter shoving my stuff into my pockets while a grumpy volunteer held my bag hostage at the gate. Fun times.

That was 2015, the year the Chicago Bears decided to go full-on TSA with their bag policy. If you’ve ever tried to enter a stadium with a bag that’s slightly too big, you know the pain. The Bears, like many NFL teams, enacted a “clear bag only” policy that season, and it threw everyone into a mini-crisis.

The Great Purge of 2015

Let’s rewind. Before 2015, you could show up with a backpack, a purse, or even a small suitcase (okay, maybe not a suitcase). But the NFL, citing “security reasons,” rolled out a league-wide policy that forced fans to use see-through plastic bags. The Bears were on board. Suddenly, your cool leather tote was enemy number one.

I remember walking to the stadium and seeing a sea of people holding clear Ziploc bags like they were carrying evidence. It was surreal. You’d see dads with gallon-sized bags full of hot dogs, and women with tiny clutch purses that looked like they came from a hospital gift shop.

The rule was simple: Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC, and no larger than 12” x 6” x 12”. That’s about the size of a small shoebox. Diaper bags? You got a pass, but everything else? Sorry, Charlie.

Why So Serious?

You might be wondering: “Did someone actually smuggle a bomb in a fanny pack in 2014?” Probably not. The policy was a knee-jerk reaction to post-Patriot Act paranoia, combined with the NFL’s love for making fans feel like suspects. The Bears followed suit because, hey, no one wants to be the team that gets blown up.

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Here’s the ironic part: the policy did speed up entry. Lines moved faster because security could see inside your bag without digging through your granola bars. But the trade-off was that every fan looked like they were going to a pool party or a robot convention. Fashion? Gone.

And let’s talk about the small prints. The policy also banned any bag with a logo or print that obstructed the view of the contents. So your clear bag couldn’t even have a cool Bears decal on it. It had to be pure, soul-crushing visibility.

Hacks, Loopholes, and Desperate Measures

Naturally, fans got creative. Some women bought clear “stadium-approved” clutches that were essentially glorified sandwich bags with a zipper. Others, like my friend Dave, wore cargo shorts with 47 pockets and didn’t bring a bag at all. “I look like a dork,” he said, “but at least I’m not holding a fish tank.”

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The most common hack was to smuggle stuff in your jacket. In Chicago? In November? Yes, you can hide a flask and a hot dog in a winter coat. Security didn’t care because they were too busy staring at your clear bag. Priorities, people.

Another workaround: the “medical bag” exemption. If you had a doctor’s note, you could bring a non-clear bag for medical supplies. That’s how half the crowd suddenly developed “bag-related anxiety.” Coincidence? I think not.

The Aftermath

By 2016, most fans had accepted the tyranny of the clear bag. The Bears even sold official team-branded clear bags for like $20. Because nothing says “Bear Down” like a transparent purse with a comb-over logo.

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Looking back, the 2015 policy was a mess, but it wasn’t the end of the world. You know what was the end of the world? The 2015 Bears going 6-10. Losing to the Lions twice? That’s way more offensive than a bag rule.

So if you’re going to a Bears game today, just remember: leave your fashionable bags at home, grab a Ziploc, and pack your patience. And for the love of Ditka, don’t bring an umbrella—because in Chicago, rain is a myth until it’s falling on your $12 hot dog.

P.S. – If you’re reading this and thinking, “But what about the 2015 bag policy for away games?” Trust me, it’s the same story with a different team logo. The NFL is one big bag-bullying universe.