Danica Patrick was back at Soldier Field on Sunday night, bundled up in winter gear and repping her hometown team once again - the Chicago Bears. The former NASCAR driver, who grew up just outside Chicago, returned to her NFL roots as she watched the Bears take on the Rams in a high-stakes NFC Divisional playoff matchup.
This wasn’t just any casual fan appearance. For Patrick, this was personal.
Her father, a longtime Bears supporter, raised her on the highs and lows of Chicago football. That loyalty ran deep - at least until life took her down a different path.
During her high-profile relationship with former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Patrick made headlines by switching allegiances. She didn’t just quietly support Green Bay; she embraced it, even calling herself “the biggest Packers fan” during a late-night TV appearance in 2018.
But that chapter closed a while ago. By 2020, following the end of that relationship, Patrick was back in the Bears’ corner. And on Sunday night, she was all in - cowboy hat, winter coat, and all - standing on the sidelines at Soldier Field, cheering for the team she grew up loving.
Unfortunately for Patrick and the rest of the Chicago faithful, the night didn’t end the way they hoped.
The Bears found themselves in a heart-stopping finish against the Rams. With the season hanging in the balance and just 18 seconds left on the clock, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams delivered a moment that will live in playoff lore - a clutch fourth-down touchdown pass to tie the game. It was the kind of play that makes you believe in football magic, and for a brief moment, Soldier Field erupted.
But that magic didn’t last.
On the next possession, Williams tried to make another big play - and it backfired. Rams safety Kam Curl read the throw perfectly, snatching the interception and flipping the script. The Rams capitalized, marching downfield and sealing the game with a field goal.
Just like that, the Bears’ season was over. And Danica Patrick, along with thousands of heartbroken fans, left Soldier Field with a familiar feeling - one that Bears fans know all too well.
Still, her return to the sidelines was a full-circle moment. From childhood fandom to a detour through Packers territory and back again, Patrick’s Bears loyalty has weathered some twists and turns. On Sunday night, she wasn’t just another celebrity appearance - she was a hometown fan, living and breathing every moment of a playoff rollercoaster.