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The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers in a playoff game for the first time since Franklin D. Roosevelt was president.
Chicago overcame an 18-point late deficit to beat its rival in the Wild Card playoffs at Soldier Field on Saturday. It marked the Bears’ first postseason win in the NFL’s oldest rivalry since December 1941, just days after the infamous Pearl Harbor attack.
For most of the night, it looked like Chicago would extend the drought, trailing 21-3 at halftime.
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Romeo Doubs #87 of the Green Bay Packers runs the ball past Jaylon Johnson #1 of the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Playoff game on January 10, 2026 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Even after fighting back, the Bears faced a 27-16 deficit with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But Bears quarterback Caleb Williams led back-to-back touchdown drives, with a missed Green Bay field goal between those drives to give Chicago a late lead.
The Packers and quarterback Jordan Love had a chance to come back with a late drive in the fourth quarter, almost reaching the edge of Chicago’s red zone.
But the Bears’ defense held, forcing an incompletion on Love’s final pass of the night, clinching a 31-27 victory.
JORDAN LOVE SUFFERES CONCUSSION AS PACKS BLOW BIG GAME TO BEARS IN OVERTIME
Evan Williams #33 of the Green Bay Packers tackles DJ Moore #2 of the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football Wild Card game at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
It marked Chicago’s first playoff win since the 2010 divisional round against the Seahawks, which was followed by an NFC Championship loss to the Packers the very next week.
Now Chicago is on to the divisional round again in the first year under head coach Ben Johnson.
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Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears looks to make a pass during the first half of an NFL football Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Johnson has led one of the NFL’s most dramatic turnarounds this year, ending the Bears’ four-year losing streak and cementing them as one of the NFC’s top contenders.
Meanwhile, the Packers will enter the offseason with disappointment and uncertainty after living up to expectations in a season of expensive acquisitions.
