Danica Patrick was back at Soldier Field on Sunday night, bundled up in winter gear and repping the team she grew up loving. The former NASCAR driver, a native of the Chicago area, was in the building for the Bears-Rams NFC divisional playoff showdown - and this time, her loyalty was firmly back with the Monsters of the Midway.
For longtime Bears fans, Patrick’s return to the fold is a full-circle moment. Her father, a die-hard supporter of the franchise, raised her on the highs and lows of Chicago football.
That allegiance took a detour during her high-profile relationship with Aaron Rodgers, the longtime quarterback of the Bears’ most bitter rivals, the Green Bay Packers. During that chapter, Patrick wasn’t just a casual Packers observer - she leaned all the way in, even calling herself “the biggest Packers fan” during an appearance on late-night TV in 2018.
But things have changed since then. The relationship ended, and by 2020, Patrick was back in Bears blue and orange.
Her presence at Soldier Field this weekend wasn’t just a nostalgic nod - it was a statement. She was all in.
Unfortunately for Patrick and the rest of the Chicago faithful, the night didn’t end with celebration. The Bears, led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, were locked in a playoff thriller against the Rams. With the season hanging in the balance and just 18 seconds left in regulation, Williams delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments of the NFL postseason - a fourth-down touchdown pass that tied the game and sent Soldier Field into a frenzy.
It was the kind of play that makes you believe in destiny. But the magic didn’t last.
On the next possession, Williams tried to keep the miracle going, but Rams safety Kam Curl had other plans. He came up with a clutch interception, setting the stage for Los Angeles to seal the win with a field goal. Just like that, the Bears’ season came to a gut-wrenching end.
Danica Patrick, like thousands of fans in the stands, was left to process another heartbreaking chapter in Chicago’s playoff history. The energy was there.
The comeback was real. But in the end, the Bears came up just short - again.