Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story (Hallmark Channel - 2026)

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This episode was recorded during the 2026 Marathon. We apologize for the less-than-stellar audio quality. 

A Chicago firefighter seeks media coverage for his grandmother’s 500th Bears game attendance. When a reporter is assigned to the story, romance develops between them.

October 17, 2026 | Hallmark

Director: Dustin Rikert

Writers: Christine Garver, Stephanie Jackson, Marcy Holland

Cast:

• Lyndsy Fonseca as Avery Clark
• Robert Buckley as Matt Donnelly

It’s Dec 19, 1971 and a woman named Darlene walks up to a stadium with a note in her hand and is greeted by a fella named Bernie. These two lovebirds are on a blind date to a Bears game! They’re having a great time, they hold hands. DA BEARS!

Fast forward to the present and we see our favorite Touchdown Santa ringing a bell. Avery gives him some money and heads into a bar to see her mom. She’s visiting her in Chicago from New York. She proceeds to sit at the bar and read a book while the Bears game is going on. A fella named Matt walks up and can’t believe she’s reading and can’t believe she doesn’t like football! They flirt, it’s fun.

She goes in for a meeting at the Chicago Herald. She’s a freelance reporter and they want her to do a story while she’s here. The bad news - it’s a sports story. They point her in the direction of a guy named Matt who works at a fire station. His grandma is the subject of a story - 500 Bears games! She marches down to the station and Matt is the dude from the bar. He’s like I don’t think you’re the right person for this gig cuz you don’t like sports. She’s like I’m all you got. So off they go to meet Grandma and the Grandma Bears. She reluctantly agrees to an interview but only if he helps out with the Bears Care charity. Obviously he says yes. And, call me crazy, but I think that may be the excuse that Darlene & Matt need in order to hang out!

It doesn’t take long for these 2 lovebirds to realize what Gran is up to.

Gran shares her story. She is the woman at the beginning of the story. The date was amazing and it started her love of going to Bears games. There’s more to the story but we’ll get to it.

Avery and Matt end up going for a boat ride and end up ALMOST kissing but are interrupted when they hear Gran is singing karaoke.

They end up going to a party and she gives him a kiss on the cheek under the mistletoe thanks to Gran pushing for a kiss!

As if things weren’t complicated enough, there’s a potential full time gig available at the Herald. Does she want to move to Chicago or does she want to keep doing freelance?

Maybe a cornhole tournament will help her decide! Avery & her stepdad win!

Matt is blown away when he finds out that Avery is getting her Gran the fan of the year award.

She goes to interview Darlene more and finds out that Bernie stood by her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and encouraged her to keep fighting and they make it to 500 games. And now she wants to make it to game #500 for him.

The story is released and it’s a hit. And Matt is quickly reminded that Avery is leaving.

It’s time for game #500 and Gran is nowhere to be found. Turns out….she’s fine. She’s just gonna watch the game with a neighbor.

We gotta get her to the game though cuz FAN OF THE YEAR. IT’S FIRETRUCK TIME!

They surprise her and she meets various Bears legends. Caleb Wilson even shouts her out!

After the game, she is officially offered the job. She goes to find Matt who is setting up a grand gesture to shoot his shot. She says she’s staying and they kiss big ones!

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