Saturday night football in Chicago was always going to be brutal, but the Green Bay Packers found themselves battling more than just the Bears.
With temperatures hovering around 30 degrees and wind whipping through Soldier Field, conditions were tough from kickoff.
Then came a surprise nobody planned for — the heaters on the Packers’ sideline suddenly stopped working.
When the Heat Goes Out on the Visiting Bench
As the game wore on, FOX sideline reporter Erin Andrews dropped the bombshell during a break in play.
The Packers, she revealed, were freezing — and not just because of the weather.
Their sideline heaters and heated offensive line bench had gone dark.
“It is cold over here on the Packers sideline,” Andrews said, explaining that the lack of heat was making an already miserable night even worse.
Tom Brady Weighs In From the Booth
Andrews turned to Tom Brady for clarity, wondering if league rules required both teams to shut off heaters if one side lost theirs. Brady didn’t hesitate.
“That’s definitely not what you are looking for in this temperature,” he said, adding that if one sideline loses heat, the other should too.
Brady admitted he’d never seen anything like it in his entire career.
Chicago Looks Cozy While Green Bay Shivers
Moments later, cameras cut to the Bears’ sideline — and the contrast was obvious.
Chicago players were bundled up and huddled around massive heaters, seemingly unaffected by whatever was happening across the field.
That image didn’t sit well with viewers, especially given the rivalry and the stakes.
A Short-Lived Problem, But Long-Lasting Reactions
The heater issue didn’t last the entire game.
Packers players were later spotted warming themselves again, and the team confirmed everything was back up and running by the third quarter.
Still, the damage — at least in the court of public opinion — was already done.
Fans Cry Foul and Smell Gamesmanship
Social media lit up fast. Some fans accused the Bears of playing dirty, calling the situation “convenient” and even “by design.”
One furious viewer wrote that Chicago would “pull off every trick they can” to gain an edge.
Others piled on, calling the Bears “pathetic” for what they believed was a lack of sportsmanship.
Packers Fans Fire Back With Cold-Weather Pride
Not everyone was rattled. Some Packers supporters laughed it off, pointing out that Green Bay is no stranger to freezing temperatures.
“If you’re going to give faulty heaters to someone,” one fan joked, “do it to a warm-weather team — not us.”
Injuries Start to Pile Up for Green Bay
As if the cold and heater drama weren’t enough, the Packers’ night took a darker turn on the field.
Quarterback Jordan Love was rocked by a helmet hit from Bears pass rusher Austin Booker, staying down before being helped off.
Love failed his concussion check and was ruled out, a massive blow in a game already slipping away.
More Bad News on an Ugly Night
Tight end John FitzPatrick followed Love to the locker room with an Achilles injury, stretching an already thin position group.
Backup quarterback Malik Willis later appeared to hurt his shoulder after a late sack, but he gutted it out through overtime.
Bears Steal It Late in Overtime
Despite all the chaos, the game itself delivered drama.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams put on a show when it mattered most, throwing two stunning touchdown passes — first to Jahdae Walker and then to DJ Moore — to seal a walk-off 22–16 overtime win for Chicago.
Looking Ahead After the Freeze
The Packers now turn their attention to a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 27, hoping injuries and distractions don’t derail their playoff push.
The Bears, riding momentum and controversy, face the San Francisco 49ers the following day.
Cold hands, broken heaters, injuries, and overtime heartbreak — Soldier Field delivered a night neither team will forget anytime soon.
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