If you’ve ever watched a Chicago Bears game—and I mean really sat there through the freezing wind and the stress of a fourth-quarter drive—you’ve probably noticed those three letters on the left sleeve. GSH. They aren't a sponsor. It isn't some weird Chicago slang for "get some help," though fans have certainly felt that way during some rough seasons.
Basically, those initials are the DNA of the franchise.
The letters stand for George Stanley Halas. If you call yourself a football fan and don't know that name, we need to talk. Halas didn't just own the Bears; he practically invented the NFL in a car dealership back in 1920. Without him, Sunday afternoons look a lot different.
What Most Fans Miss About the GSH Initials
It’s easy to think of "GSH" as just a permanent patch, but it actually hasn't always been there. The team didn't start wearing it until after Halas passed away on October 31, 1983.
Honestly, the first version looked nothing like what you see today. In the 1983 season, right after "Papa Bear" died, the players wore a specific commemorative patch on the front of their jerseys. It was an orange football with "GHS" inside (the "H" was bigger and sat in the middle, classic monogram style).
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The move to the sleeve stripes happened in 1984.
That was a huge year for the team, right on the cusp of that legendary '85 Super Bowl run. Since then, the initials have stayed put. It’s one of the few things in the NFL that feels truly permanent. Most teams change logos or colors to sell more merch, but the Bears have kept those letters on the left sleeve for over four decades.
Why George Halas Still Matters in 2026
You've gotta understand that Halas was everything to this team. He was a player. He was the coach. He was the owner. He was even the guy who reportedly chose the team’s colors—navy blue and orange—because of his alma mater, the University of Illinois.
He coached for 40 seasons. Let that sink in.
In a league where coaches get fired after two bad years, Halas put in four decades on the sidelines. He won six NFL championships as a coach. He was the first person to ever use film to study opponents. Think about that: every time a player watches "tape" today, they’re doing something Halas pioneered.
- He was a founder: Represented the Decatur Staleys (which became the Bears) at the NFL's birth.
- He was a winner: 324 total victories. That record stood for nearly 30 years until Don Shula finally broke it in 1993.
- He was "Papa Bear": He wasn't just a boss; he was the patriarch of the entire organization.
The Design Shift and the New 2025 Patch
For a long time, the GSH was just part of the sleeve stripes. But when Nike took over the NFL uniforms around 2012, they actually made the letters bigger. They wanted them to pop.
But here is where things get interesting for modern fans. If you’ve been watching the 2025 season, you might have noticed another set of initials.
The Bears recently added a VMH patch.
This honors Virginia Halas McCaskey, George’s daughter and the longtime matriarch of the team, who passed away recently. The team decided to mirror the 1983 design for her. It’s a small, orange football-shaped patch with her initials, placed right above the heart. It’s a heavy tribute. It connects the founder to the woman who kept the team in the family for over 100 years.
Why the Bears Don't Change
The GSH on the sleeve is a badge of honor. You’ll notice it’s even on the 1936 throwbacks they started wearing recently, even though Halas was very much alive and coaching back then. It’s a bit of an "anachronism," sure, but the team decided it’s more important to honor the man than to be historically accurate with the jersey replicas.
You won't see the Bears dropping these letters anytime soon.
While other teams are busy launching "City Edition" jerseys or neon helmets that look like bowling balls, Chicago sticks to the script. The GSH represents a time when football was played on dirt and mud, by guys who had second jobs in the off-season.
It’s about toughness.
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How to Spot a "Real" Bears Jersey
If you're out shopping for gear, checking the GSH is actually a quick way to see what "era" of jersey you're looking at.
- Left Sleeve Only: The initials are only on the left side.
- Font Matters: The lettering style has stayed remarkably consistent, even through the transition from Reebok to Nike.
- No GSH? If you find a "vintage" jersey without the letters, it’s either a pre-1984 style or a very specific throwback that chose to omit them for "period accuracy" (though even then, the Bears usually include them now).
Next time you see a linebacker making a stop at the goal line, look at that left arm. Those three letters are why the team exists. George Halas didn't just build a team; he built the league, and the Bears make sure nobody forgets it.
If you’re heading to Soldier Field soon, take a walk through the South Loop—you’ll see the GSH on every sidewalk jersey. It’s a simple tribute, but in a city like Chicago, tradition is everything. You can check the current team roster on the official Bears site to see how the new VMH and GSH patches look on the active lineup this season.
Next Step for You: Check your own jersey collection; if you have a Mitchell & Ness throwback, look at the sleeve to see if they included the GSH or kept it "era-accurate" to the years before 1983.