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Jim Cornelison's national anthem at Bears vs Rams wins hearts; fans notice details on his ring | Watch
Viewers praised Jim Cornelison's traditional delivery of the national anthem before the Bears' playoff game against the Rams.
Chicago singer Jim Cornelison performed the US national anthem ahead of the Bears’ NFL Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Cornelison, a long-time fixture at major Bears home games, returned to anthem duty for the playoff matchup, as reported by Diario AS.
Viewers watching the broadcast praised the delivery of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” with many mentioning Cornelison’s controlled, traditional style.
Some fans also pointed out small visual details during the performance, including a ring visible on his hand, which prompted discussion on social media.
According to Diario AS, Cornelison has served as the Bears’ regular national anthem singer for home season openers since 2010 and has performed at nearly all Bears playoff games held in Chicago over the past 15 years. He did not sing during last weekend’s Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers.
Cornelison last performed the anthem at a Bears home playoff game in 2018, ahead of the Wild Card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He also sang at Soldier Field during the Bears’ 2010 postseason games against the Seattle Seahawks and the Packers.
Fans react
Cornelison’s performance prompted immediate reactions on X, with fans praising both the anthem and the playoff atmosphere.
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One user described the rendition as “goosebumps inducing,” adding that Cornelison “nailed it”, pointing to the “great atmosphere at Soldier Field.”
Other posts also echoed the sentiment.
“Does it get any better than Star-Spangled Banner from Jim Cornelison?” one fan wrote, using the hashtag #BearDown. Another commented, “Man, what a raucous national anthem. Jim Cornelison for the win!”
One fan linked the anthem to confidence ahead of kickoff. “Way to represent Chicago on national anthem,” one user posted, calling it the best rendition they had seen, while another wrote that Cornelison singing made them “about 100 times more confident” heading into the game.
‘The energy is palpable’
Speaking to WGN News ahead of the game, Cornelison said he was looking forward to returning to the playoff stage.
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“I’m just thrilled to be out there again on Sunday,” he said, adding that the energy from Bears fans is “palpable."
The 61-year-old is also well known as the national anthem singer for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, a role he has held since 2008, according to Diario AS.
