From Doubts About His Form to the Decisive Moment That Propelled Bears to the Playoffs — Bears ' "Unsung Hero" Shines Brilliantly in 31–27 Win Over Packers

Chicago, Illinois – January 12, 2026

Not every win over Green Bay is written in flashing highlights. Some are decided by one single play, at the exact right moment, by the exact right person. For the Chicago Bears, the 31–27 victory over the Packers turned on that kind of moment. And the name at the center of it was Colston Loveland.

Loveland entered the night surrounded by questions. The rookie tight end averaged just 2.8 receptions per game during the regular season and had never topped 60 receiving yards in a single outing. But the NFC North has never cared about reputation. It only asks who can stand firm when the game reaches its breaking point.

Green Bay quickly turned the middle of the field into a battlefield. Chicago was forced into a grind-it-out struggle, and midway through the fourth quarter the score sat 24–24, with Soldier Field frozen in tension. The Bears faced 3rd-and-8 at their own 47-yard line with 2:40 remaining — a punt there would have handed momentum straight back to the Packers.

That’s when Loveland delivered.

Releasing from the slot, he split two linebackers and secured a 17-yard reception just before a closing safety arrived. It wasn’t flashy. It was better than that. It was the play that kept the Bears alive. That drive stretched nine plays for 58 yards, ending in a touchdown that pushed Chicago ahead 31–27 for good.

Loveland didn’t celebrate. No fist pumps. No crowd acknowledgment. He stood up, handed the ball to the official, and jogged straight back to the huddle.

His final stat line didn’t scream superstardom: five catches for 61 yards. What it didn’t show were the details — four successful blocks in the fourth quarter, two key chip blocks on edge rushers that prevented sacks, and the way his presence forced Green Bay to keep linebackers inside rather than blitzing freely.

After the game, Loveland spoke candidly about what he endured that night.

“I went through every snap with my body hurting, but the heavier part was knowing I had to stay upright when every hit carried extra weight. There were shots that came late, moments when I knew I was being targeted — and I accepted all of it. Because if even one of those plays could keep the Bears in the fight, then every bit of pain was worth it. I don’t need the spotlight — I just need to know I gave this city everything I had.”

A Bears coach once said that January football doesn’t belong to the loudest voices — it belongs to the most reliable ones. Against Green Bay, Colston Loveland was exactly that.

There will be bigger names and louder headlines as the season moves forward. But in this defining 31–27 victory, Chicago advanced because of one catch at the 47-yard line — and an unsung hero who didn’t need his name called, only the moment.