---
title: "Chicago Bears to Star in Hallmark's 'Holiday Touchdown'"
description: "The team becomes the third NFL franchise to join Hallmark's countdown to Christmas, with a football-themed love story set to air later this year."
url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/bears-announce-new-partnership-with-hallmark-for-christmas-s-fc04f6d5
published: 2026-06-25T20:34:49.208+00:00
updated: 2026-06-25T20:34:49.208+00:00
author: "Kostadin Stamboliev"
publisher: "Pineido"
site: "Sportopod"
language: en
topics: ["football"]
---

# Chicago Bears to Star in Hallmark's 'Holiday Touchdown'

> The team becomes the third NFL franchise to join Hallmark's countdown to Christmas, with a football-themed love story set to air later this year.

The Chicago Bears are stepping off the gridiron and onto the set of a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, the franchise announced, becoming the third NFL team to star in the network’s holiday programming.

This partnership, for a film reportedly titled “Holiday Touchdown: A Love Story,” cements the league’s growing courtship of mainstream entertainment.

The project will blend the hard hits of football with the soft glow of holiday romance, a formula Hallmark has perfected.

Details remain scarce, but the Bears’ involvement signals a deepening of the NFL’s brand strategy beyond traditional sports media.

The team joins a select group of franchises that have leveraged Hallmark’s massive, loyal viewership—a demographic that skews heavily female and family-oriented, an area the NFL has aggressively targeted with initiatives like the “It Takes All of Us” campaign.

The collaboration marks a significant crossover for the storied Chicago franchise, one of the league’s cornerstone teams.

While the NFL has long dabbled in entertainment—scripted series, animated specials, and celebrity appearances—this foray into Hallmark’s holiday universe represents a cozy, festive vehicle for brand visibility during the most-watched TV season of the year.

The Bears, who boast a national following, will now be woven into the fabric of countless living rooms through a storyline that pairs football with tinsel and true love.

No official comment was immediately available from the Bears or Hallmark, but the move aligns with a broader league trend.

NFL executive vice president of club business and league events, Peter O’Reilly, previously noted the league’s desire to “meet fans where they are, in culture, not just sports.” The Bears’ holiday film will likely feature cameos from players, though no cast announcements have been made.

Hallmark, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, has found a lucrative niche in sports-themed romances; previous NFL-partnered specials reportedly boosted ratings and social engagement.

Production is expected to begin soon, with a premiere timed for Hallmark’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” lineup.

For the Bears, the film is more than a holiday ornament—it’s a strategic play to expand the fanbase and deepen emotional ties ahead of a new stadium era.

As the league explores non-traditional partnerships, expect more teams to follow this snowy trail.

## Why this matters

This partnership expands the NFL's cultural footprint beyond the field, leveraging the massive, family-friendly audience of Hallmark's holiday programming to engage new fans and create unique brand opportunities for the Bears. By placing the franchise in a romantic holiday narrative, the league taps into a female-skewing demographic often elusive to traditional sports marketing, turning a 60-minute game into a year-round lifestyle brand. It also opens doors for similar cross-entertainment deals, where teams become storytelling vehicles rather than just athletic competitors.

## Frequently asked

### What is the name of the Bears’ Hallmark Christmas special?

The movie is reportedly titled “Holiday Touchdown: A Love Story,” though neither the Bears nor Hallmark have officially confirmed the name. It will combine football themes with a festive romance, staying true to Hallmark’s belo