Brookfield Zoo's bear and lion showcase gameday spirit ahead of Bears vs. Lions rematch

CHICAGO - The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a big rematch this Sunday against the Detroit Lions, and Brookfield Zoo is joining in on the gameday excitement.

While they won't be pitting their brown bear against their lion in a showdown, the zoo is showcasing these majestic creatures ahead of the game.

The bear, named Axhi, is nearly 30 years old. On the other hand, Brutus the lion is seven.

Meanwhile, Bears' quarterback Justin Fields knows a big decision looms about his future and is also sure of something else.

"If I’m here next year, if I’m not, football doesn’t define who I am as a person," he said Wednesday. "My happiness will still be in the same place, will still be in God. And really just football wise, life stuff in general, I think my faith in God, my hope in God is just so much more than anything that can be thrown at me on this earth."

The final five games could go a long way toward determining whether the Bears stick with Fields and, for that matter, coach Matt Eberflus. If this stretch coming out of a bye is a final audition, it starts with a visit from the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (9-3) on Sunday.

Chicago's remaining schedule isn't all that difficult. Only two of the five games are against teams currently boasting winning records, starting with Detroit and a trip to Cleveland (7-5).

The Bears then host struggling Arizona (3-10) and Atlanta (6-6) before closing the season at Green Bay (6-6). There are realistic opportunities to pick up wins, maybe even in consecutive games. Chicago hasn’t done that since beating Seattle and the New York Giants in Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2021 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.