Mike Ditka Speaks Out: Bears Legend Demands NFL Investigate Referee Crew Alex Moore, Raising Questions About "Fairness" After 49ers Game

Chicago, Illinois – December 29, 2025

The Chicago Bears’ 42–38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers should have been remembered as a rare, high-scoring shootout at Soldier Field. Instead, the game’s lingering aftershock has centered on officiating — and this time, the criticism comes from one of the most iconic figures in Bears history.

Hall of Fame legend Mike Ditka publicly called on the NFL to investigate the officiating crew led by Alex Moore, arguing that the Bears were subjected to a series of one-sided decisions that directly influenced the flow and outcome of the game. According to Ditka, the issue was not a single missed call, but a recurring pattern that surfaced at the most critical moments.

The Bears scored 38 points against a highly regarded 49ers defense, trading blows throughout the night and keeping themselves within striking distance deep into the fourth quarter. However, two sequences became focal points of outrage: a holding penalty that wiped out a promising Chicago drive, and a late pass interference call that allowed San Francisco to extend possession at a pivotal juncture. Meanwhile, similar contact by 49ers defenders appeared to go uncalled, intensifying frustration inside the Bears locker room and across the fan base.

For Ditka — a figure synonymous with toughness, accountability, and fairness in Chicago football — the situation was impossible to dismiss.

“I’ve lived with football for more than half a century, and I’ve rarely seen the trust of fans — especially Bears Nation — tested like this,” Ditka said. “One mistake can be human, but when critical bad decisions keep piling up and only go one way, that’s no longer an error — it’s a question of integrity. If the NFL wants to keep the respect of its fans, it has to act now — for the Bears, for fairness, and for the honor of the league itself.”

Ditka’s comments quickly spread, becoming a rallying point for anger that had already been simmering within Bears Nation. Clips of the disputed plays circulated widely, accompanied by renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability in how officiating crews are evaluated and disciplined — especially in games with direct playoff implications.

On the other side, the 49ers maintained that their victory was earned through execution and composure in decisive moments. As is often the case, the NFL declined to offer a specific response beyond reiterating that officiating crews are “evaluated weekly.”

Still, when a figure like Mike Ditka speaks, the conversation moves beyond a single loss. His words serve as a broader warning to the league: when fairness is called into question, the NFL’s credibility cannot remain untouched.