There is little patience in the NFL for irregularities during a Bears–Packers night game. even sideline logistics become part of the story, and when something feels off, it doesn’t stay quiet for long. Take the Week 16 game at Soldier Field for example, as a sideline issue prompted Tom Brady, speaking from the broadcast booth, to call out the possibility of foul play without hesitation.

“The Packers heaters on their bench are no longer working in Chicago,” shared Dov Kleiman taking to his X account. “The Bears heaters are still working with zero problems. Tom Brady on Fox insinuated that Chicago could be doing this on purpose.”

As expected for mid-December at Soldier Field, temperatures hovered around freezing (36 °F /2 °C), with the wind chill dipping into the mid-teens during the first half. And that is when the issue surfaced. Midway through the second quarter, the Packers lost access to their sideline heaters and the heated bench used by the offensive line.

Fox reporter Erin Andrews relayed the situation moments before halftime, noting from field level that “it’s cold over here,” while confirming that none of Green Bay’s heaters were operational. Television cameras then showed the contrast clearly, cutting from inactive equipment on the Packers’ sideline to Bears players clustered around heaters that appeared to be functioning normally across the field.

That visual prompted a direct exchange in the booth. Asked whether the Bears should also shut off their heaters to maintain competitive balance, Brady suggested the idea was reasonable.

“I think so,” Brady said. “That’s definitely not what you’re looking for in this temperature. And if it happens on one side, it’s got to go to the other side. That has never happened to me in my entire career where the bench’s heat goes out.”

At the time, there was no immediate explanation for the malfunction, though a Packers spokesperson later shared that the heaters were back in operation by the third quarter.

While Green Bay managed the cold for stretches of the game, Chicago ultimately controlled the finish, scoring the final 16 points and closing out a 22–16 overtime win on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore.

Amid it all, the Packers also had a major injury scare when their quarterback, Jordan Love, was ruled out with a concussion.

Packers lose Jordan Love in the divisional game

At the 8:19 mark in the second quarter, on a 1st & 10 play, Love was looking for an open teammate with the ball in his hand as his offensive linemen tried to hold off the Bears’ defense. Right guard Anthony Belton was in a rough contest with defensive tackle Gervon Dexter on the left. But right tackle Darian Kinnard failed to hold on to the defensive end Austin Booker, who charged at Jordan Love from the right.

While Dexter also tried to hold off Love from the left, Booker took him down in the sack. The referees threw the flags and penalized Booker 15 yards for roughing the passer. The medical team took him off the field. He was later ruled out of the game with a concussion.

While the Packers had no problem battling the cold, the injury definitely made matters worse for the visitors. The only thing that could soothe them is a win. As Bears receiver DJ Moore said earlier this season, you don’t feel cold when you are winning. But Cheeseheads are praying for the injury to be a minor one.

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