CHICAGO — Before Caleb Williams launched a prayer into the snowy Chicago sky and before Soldier Field had its heart ripped out in overtime, the ground shook. It wasn’t the wind. It was Jim Cornelison.
The legendary tenor, whose voice is as much a part of Chicago sports as the bitter cold, delivered a National Anthem performance on Sunday, Jan. 18, that fans and players are calling “electric” and “10/10 aura.” It was the perfect fuse for a Divisional Round powder keg between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams that ended in a crushing 20-17 overtime loss for the home team.
When Cornelison stepped onto the field, the temperature hovered near freezing, but the atmosphere was boiling. Known for his signature arm extension during “the flag was still there,” Cornelison didn’t just sing; he commanded the stadium. The 61-year-old opera singer’s baritone cut through the wind, prompting a roar from the 61,500 in attendance that drowned out the final notes.
Social media lit up immediately. One viral tweet from NFL Films simply read: “Anthem aura 10/10 🎶🎤.” It wasn’t hyperbole. For a few minutes, the nerves of a city chasing its first conference championship appearance since 2011 vanished, replaced by pure, unadulterated adrenaline.
Cornelison set the tone, but Caleb Williams matched the energy. With the Bears trailing 17-10 and the season hanging by a thread—4th and 4 with 18 seconds left—Williams produced a moment of magic that will be replayed in Chicago forever, despite the final result.
51.2 yards. That’s how far the ball traveled in the air. Williams retreated, scrambling back to the 40-yard line to escape the Rams’ pass rush, and heaved a fadeaway jumper of a pass to the back of the end zone. Tight end Cole Kmet came down with it, tying the game at 17-17 and sending Soldier Field into a frenzy that registered on local seismographs.
Even Patrick Mahomes couldn’t believe it, posting on X: “🤣🤣🤣 awesome!”
“He’s chased, he’s flushed… he’s backpedaling and throws a pass to the end zone. CAUGHT! TOUCHDOWN! IF YOU HADN’T SEEN IT, YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT!” — Kevin Harlan, Westwood One Radio Call
The high was astronomical, but the crash was instant. In overtime, the “aura” ran out. Williams, trying to replicate his heroics, was intercepted by Rams safety Kam Curl. A few plays later, Harrison Mevis drilled a 42-yard field goal to send Los Angeles to the NFC Championship Game and the Bears into the offseason.
For Chicago, the loss stings, but the message is clear: The window is open. They have the quarterback, they have the defense, and as Sunday proved, they have the atmosphere. The Rams move on to face the Seattle Seahawks, while Chicago is left with a memory of a miracle and the echo of an anthem that almost willed them to victory.
