The Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers delivered one of the more entertaining shootouts of the 2025 NFL season, with San Francisco escaping Levi’s Stadium 42-38 in a Week 17 matchup that came down to the final two minutes. Both quarterbacks put up big numbers, both lead backs found the end zone multiple times, and a defensive touchdown on the opening snap set the tone for a game that never had a comfortable lead. Here’s the complete player-by-player statistical breakdown.
Match Overview
Short answer: The San Francisco 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 on December 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in a game that featured six lead changes and 80 combined points.
- Final Score: 49ers 42, Bears 38
- Date: December 28, 2025 (Week 17, Sunday Night Football)
- Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
- Combined points (80) tied for the third-highest scoring total of the 2025 NFL season.
Quarter-by-Quarter Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 14 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
The game opened with a jolt: Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown on the very first offensive play of the game. From there, both offenses traded scores nearly possession for possession, with the 49ers taking their first lead late in the second quarter and holding it through a tense fourth quarter that ended on a Brock Purdy touchdown pass with 2:15 remaining.
Team Offensive Stats Compared
| Category | Chicago Bears | San Francisco 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 440 | 496 |
| Total Plays | 64 | 68 |
| Yards Per Play | 6.9 | 7.3 |
| Passing Yards | 330 | 296 |
| Rushing Yards | 110 | 200 |
| Time of Possession | 26:27 | 33:33 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
San Francisco controlled the clock for more than seven extra minutes and doubled Chicago’s rushing production, which ultimately gave the 49ers more possessions and more scoring chances over the course of the game.
Caleb Williams Passing Stats
Short answer: Caleb Williams threw for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25-of-42 passing with zero interceptions.
- Completions/Attempts: 25/42 (59.5%)
- Passing Yards: 330
- Passing Touchdowns: 2
- Interceptions: 0
- Passer Rating: 100.3
- Rushing: 5 carries, 18 yards
Williams delivered a season-high passing total, connecting on a 35-yard touchdown to Luther Burden III and a 36-yard touchdown to Colston Loveland. Both throws came on plays where Williams read the 49ers defense correctly before releasing the ball downfield.
Brock Purdy Passing Stats
Short answer: Brock Purdy finished 24-of-33 for 303 yards with 3 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, and 2 rushing touchdowns.
- Completions/Attempts: 24/33 (72.7%)
- Passing Yards: 303
- Passing Touchdowns: 3
- Interceptions: 1
- Passer Rating: 118.6
- Rushing: 6 carries, 28 yards, 2 touchdowns
Purdy’s outing came with an early hiccup — his first pass of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown — but he responded by accounting for five total touchdowns, continuing a stretch in which he posted five-plus total touchdowns in back-to-back games.
Quarterback Comparison
| Category | Caleb Williams | Brock Purdy |
|---|---|---|
| Comp/Att | 25/42 | 24/33 |
| Completion % | 59.5% | 72.7% |
| Passing Yards | 330 | 303 |
| Passing TDs | 2 | 3 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Passer Rating | 100.3 | 118.6 |
| Rushing Yards | 18 | 28 |
| Rushing TDs | 0 | 2 |
Williams had the yardage edge and the cleaner turnover record, but Purdy was more efficient by completion percentage and produced more total touchdowns, which showed up directly on the scoreboard.
Rushing Stats
Short answer: Christian McCaffrey led all rushers with 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, while D’Andre Swift paced Chicago with 54 yards and 2 touchdowns.
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | SF | 23 | 140 | 1 | 41 |
| D’Andre Swift | CHI | 9 | 54 | 2 | 22 |
| Kyle Monangai | CHI | 8 | 38 | 0 | 18 |
| Brock Purdy | SF | 6 | 28 | 2 | — |
| Caleb Williams | CHI | 5 | 18 | 0 | 6 |
McCaffrey remained the workhorse of San Francisco’s offense, while Swift’s two short-yardage touchdowns gave Chicago its only lead of the game in the fourth quarter.
Receiving Stats
Short answer: Luther Burden III led all receivers with 138 yards and a touchdown on 8 catches, while Colston Loveland added 94 yards and a touchdown.
| Player | Team | Targets | Receptions | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Burden III | CHI | 9 | 8 | 138 | 1 | 35 |
| Colston Loveland | CHI | 10 | 6 | 94 | 1 | 36 |
| Christian McCaffrey | SF | — | 4 | 41 | 0 | — |
| Kyle Monangai | CHI | 4 | 3 | 9 | 0 | — |
| D’Andre Swift | CHI | 3 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 10 |
Chicago’s rookie class carried the receiving load, with Burden and Loveland combining for 232 yards and both of Caleb Williams’ touchdown passes.
Defensive Stats and the Game’s Key Turnover
Short answer: Chicago’s defense scored the game’s opening points, with T.J. Edwards returning an interception 34 yards for a touchdown on San Francisco’s first offensive snap.
That defensive score gave the Bears an early 7-0 lead and stood as the difference-maker for much of the night, since the Bears otherwise committed zero turnovers while the 49ers’ only giveaway came on that very play. Beyond the pick-six, both defenses struggled to generate consistent stops, which is reflected in the 80 combined points and San Francisco’s 100% red zone efficiency on the day.
Turnovers and Ball Security
- Chicago Bears: 0 turnovers (0 fumbles lost, 0 interceptions thrown)
- San Francisco 49ers: 1 turnover (Brock Purdy interception, returned for a touchdown)
Chicago’s clean ball security stands out given the high-scoring nature of the game, but San Francisco’s single turnover came at the worst possible time — the opening snap — and still wasn’t enough to prevent the 49ers from ultimately winning.
Key Statistical Differences
- Time of possession: San Francisco held the ball for over 33 minutes compared to Chicago’s 26:27, controlling tempo for most of the second half.
- Rushing balance: The 49ers nearly doubled Chicago’s rushing output (200 yards to 110), giving Purdy more manageable down-and-distance situations.
- Red zone execution: San Francisco converted every red zone trip into points, a major factor in overcoming Chicago’s early defensive score.
- Efficiency vs. volume: Williams threw for more yards, but Purdy’s higher completion percentage and extra touchdown proved more valuable in a game decided by inches.
What Decided the Game?
Short answer: San Francisco’s ability to sustain longer drives and finish in the red zone ultimately outweighed Chicago’s clean turnover margin and explosive passing plays.
Despite conceding a pick-six on the game’s first play, the 49ers methodically wore down the clock, out-rushed Chicago by 90 yards, and scored on every red zone possession. Chicago’s offense was efficient in the passing game but couldn’t match San Francisco’s ball control, and a late go-ahead touchdown pass from Purdy to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 remaining proved to be the decisive blow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Chicago Bears vs 49ers game?
The San Francisco 49ers won 42-38 in a Week 17 matchup played on December 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium.
Who had the most passing yards?
Caleb Williams led all passers with 330 yards on 25-of-42 passing, narrowly ahead of Brock Purdy’s 303 yards on 24-of-33 passing.
Who was the leading rusher?
Christian McCaffrey led all rushers with 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries for San Francisco.
Who had the most receiving yards?
Luther Burden III led all receivers with 138 yards and a touchdown on 8 receptions for Chicago.
What was the biggest statistical difference?
Time of possession and rushing yardage stood out most: San Francisco held the ball for over 33 minutes and out-rushed Chicago 200 yards to 110, giving the 49ers more opportunities to control the game’s pace.
Did either team lose a fumble?
No. Neither team lost a fumble in this game. San Francisco’s only turnover was Brock Purdy’s opening-play interception, which Chicago returned for a touchdown.
Chicago Bears vs 49ers match player stats today
There is no Bears vs 49ers game scheduled for today. The two teams’ most recent meeting was the December 28, 2025 matchup, and their next meeting has not been confirmed based on the current NFL schedule.
Chicago Bears vs 49ers match player stats ESPN
Full official box scores, including passing, rushing, receiving, and defensive stats for this and other Bears vs 49ers games, are available on ESPN’s game recap and box score pages, along with NFL.com and Pro Football Reference.
Chicago Bears vs 49ers match player stats prediction
Since this game has already been played, there’s no prediction needed for the December 28, 2025 matchup. For future Bears-49ers meetings, predictions typically factor in current quarterback form, injury reports, and each team’s recent rushing and passing efficiency.
Chicago Bears vs 49ers match player stats all-time
Through their historical series, the San Francisco 49ers hold a series lead over the Chicago Bears, with San Francisco having won more matchups than Chicago across their regular-season and playoff meetings combined.
Chicago Bears vs 49ers match player stats 2020
The Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers did not play each other during the 2020 NFL regular season. Their most recent meetings prior to 2025 came in 2018, 2021, and 2022.
Bears vs 49ers 2026
Based on the confirmed 2026 NFL schedule, the Chicago Bears are not slated to face the San Francisco 49ers, as Chicago’s NFC West opponent for 2026 is the Seattle Seahawks rather than San Francisco.
Bears vs 49ers 2025
The Bears and 49ers met once in the 2025 season, in Week 17 on December 28, with San Francisco winning 42-38 at Levi’s Stadium.
Author Bio: Hamid Ali is an NFL and sports writer covering player statistics, game analysis, team performance, and major football matchups. He specializes in turning detailed box scores and player data into clear, accurate, and engaging insights for football fans.
Author Name: Hamid Ali
Email: johanharwen314@gmail.com
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