Bears' national anthem singer sends NFL fans into frenzy with performance before playoff game

Chicago Bears

Bears' national anthem singer sends NFL fans into frenzy with performance before playoff game

The Bears and Rams winner will advance to the NFC Championship

Ryan Gaydos Fox News

Published

January 18, 2026 7:03pm EST

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Jim Cornelison helped give the NFC Divisional Round matchup between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams a big game feel with his rendition of the U.S. national anthem on Sunday.

Cornelison belted out "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of a sold-out Soldier Field crowd. NFL fans and the players joined in and sang the anthem with Cornelison.

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Jim Cornelison performs the national anthem before the start of Round One of the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

NFL fans who tuned into the game on social media praised Cornelison for his performance.

It’s not the first time that Cornelison left a mark on NFL fans this season. He received a round of applause back in September when he performed the anthem before the Bears took on the Minnesota Vikings. It was the first "Monday Night Football" game of the season.

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Chicago Bears' DJ Moore takes the field prior to an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The 61-year-old is a regular at Chicago sporting events. He’s been the Bears’ national anthem singer since 2010. He hits the ice for Chicago Blackhawks games since 2008 and has sung "Back Home Again in Indiana" before the Indianapolis 500 since 2017.

Cornelison is just as popular outside of sports. He was a part of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists in Chicago and sang at some of the most popular opera houses around the world.

He’s also on the board of the Illinois Patriot Education Fund and the honorary squad commander of the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford works out prior to an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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The winner of the Bears-Rams game will get a berth into the NFC Championship Game next weekend.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Bears' national anthem singer sends NFL fans into frenzy with performance before playoff game