The anthem did not just open a playoff game. It shook it awake. Jim Cornelison took the microphone before Bears vs. Rams and turned a cold Chicago afternoon into a charged arena. His voice rose, the crowd roared, and the mood flipped from tense to fearless. You could feel it in your chest. You could see it in the players’ eyes. This is how Chicago starts a fight.
The Moment at Soldier Field
All week, one question hovered over this matchup. Would Cornelison sing the National Anthem? Minutes before kickoff, he stepped out, chin up, and Chicago made its choice. Applause built fast and never let go. Fans stood tall and stayed loud through every note. That is the Cornelison cue in this city. Cheering through the anthem is the tell that it is a big game day on the lakefront.
Cornelison’s delivery was soaring and firm. No flourishes. No gimmicks. Just pure power and total command. Bears captains stared forward and did not blink. Rams players adjusted helmet straps and took a breath. This was a statement, and everyone heard it.
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Cornelison’s anthem is a Chicago sports ritual. It signals that the stakes are high and the city is locked in.
A Tradition Built in Chicago
Cornelison earned this stage across many winters with the Blackhawks. His renditions at the United Center set the standard. The crowd does not hush. It rises with him. The anthem becomes a shared surge, a pregame roar that belongs to the city as much as the team.
That tradition has crossed arenas and seasons. When the Bears call, it is for moments like this one. Cornelison’s presence means more than a pregame task. It means a tone is set. It means the home side gets an early edge. This is not superstition. It is culture. It is a habit of excellence that players trust and fans fuel.
How It Shapes the Game
Make no mistake, this matters on the field. Noise is a weapon, and timing is everything. An anthem that builds the volume and bonds the crowd gives Chicago an immediate push. The energy bleeds into the opening series, the first third down, the first hit. It can force offensive linemen to guess the snap. It can make a quarterback lean on a silent count. It can give pass rushers that half step they crave.
Here is what Cornelison’s anthem does for the Bears on days like this:
- Raises the decibel floor from the first snap
- Helps the defense win communication battles
- Shortens the Rams’ audibles and route adjustments
- Feeds special teams confidence on coverage and returns
The tactical ripples are real. In a playoff game, that margin is gold. Chicago’s defense thrives when the crowd hunts with it. Cornelison’s anthem cues the hunt. The plays that follow often look faster and meaner. That is not a coincidence. That is cause and effect.
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Early emotional leads matter in January. You cannot fake edge. You build it, minute by minute, and hold it.
Why It Resonates Beyond the Ice and Gridiron
Sports in this city lean on ritual. The anthem is not background noise here. It is a call to attention and a mirror of Chicago’s identity. Work hard. Stand tall. Cheer for your own. Cornelison taps that vein. He does it without theatrics. He does it with discipline and punch. That is why players respect it. That is why fans commit to it. That is why opponents feel it.
There is also a rare unity in the moment. Hockey fans, football fans, old-timers, first timers, it does not matter. When he sings, people stand shoulder to shoulder and move as one. In a league of edges and adjustments, that shared spark is valuable. It turns a home crowd into a force you can plan for but never fully manage. Ask any visiting team that has tried to quiet Chicago after that final note. It is not easy.
What Comes Next
If the Bears keep advancing, expect louder calls for Cornelison to return. He has become a playoff lever in this city, a guaranteed switch for volume and pride. Game ops crews measure impact by feel as much as numbers. Today, the feel was clear. The house shook, the anthem soared, and the football that followed carried that charge.
This is bigger than a song. It is a standard. Cornelison’s performance before Bears vs. Rams did not just honor the moment. It defined it. Chicago feeds on touchstone voices in big games. Tonight, the anthem was that voice, and it set a playoff tone the rest of the league can hear from miles away. 🏈
