How to watch Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears Week 1: J.J. McCarthy gets his first NFL start in primetime

It’s a massive season opener for both teams.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The 2025 season is finally here as the Minnesota Vikings will open up the season against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.

Both teams have a lot to prove across the board. The Vikings are coming off a 14-3 season that saw them finish second in the NFC North and lose in the wild card round of the playoffs. That’s a poor way to finish the season, but this isn’t the same Vikings team.

J.J. McCarthy is now the starting quarterback, and the entirety of the NFL is going to have their eyes on him to either prove or disprove their own narratives about what this Vikings team will be. It will be especially easy for those narratives to form, as the game is on Monday Night Football.

On the Bears side, all eyes will also be on the quarterback. Caleb Williams had an up-and-down rookie season, but a coaching change with Ben Johnson taking over will be fascinating to watch. With the Detroit Lions, Johnson’s offense was predicated on timing and anticipation, which is far from what Williams is good at. Will they find a way to make things work?

A lot of really interesting storylines for both teams going into the game, and it’s one you aren’t going to want to miss.

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears

When: Monday, September 8th, 7:15 P.M. CT

Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

How to Watch, Listen, & Stream

Broadcast: ESPN

Crew: Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline)

Live stream: Watch LIVE with Fubo! (Regional restrictions may apply)

Radio: Vikings Audio Network

Radio Crew: Paul Allen (play-by-play), Pete Bercich (analyst)

Sirius XM: TBD

Betting Information

Betting Line (FanDuel): Vikings -1.5

Over/Under: 43.5

Series History

Series Record: Vikings lead 68-58-2

Last Meeting: Vikings win 30-12 on December 16th, 2024

Win Streak: Vikings-2 games

Minnesota’s 2025 Football Schedule

  • Week 1 (Sept. 8): @ Chicago Bears (Monday Night Football)
  • Week 2 (Sept. 14): Atlanta Falcons (Sunday Night Football)
  • Week 3 (Sept. 21): Cincinnati Bengals
  • Week 4 (Sept. 28): @ Pittsburgh Steelers (in Dublin, Ireland)
  • Week 5 (Oct. 5): @ Cleveland Browns (in London, England)
  • Week 6 (Oct. 12): Bye
  • Week 7 (Oct. 19): Philadelphia Eagles
  • Week 8 (Oct. 23): @ Los Angeles Chargers (Thursday Night Football)
  • Week 9 (Nov. 2): @ Detroit Lions
  • Week 10 (Nov. 9): Baltimore Ravens
  • Week 11 (Nov. 16): Chicago Bears
  • Week 12 (Nov. 23): @ Green Bay Packers
  • Week 13 (Nov. 30): @ Seattle Seahawks
  • Week 14 (Dec. 7): Washington Commanders
  • Week 15 (Dec. 14): @ Dallas Cowboys
  • Week 16 (Dex. 21): @ New York Giants
  • Week 17 (Dec. 25): Detroit Lions
  • Week 18 (TBD) Green Bay Packers

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