Bears Shock Eagles on Black Friday: Jonathan Owens’ Tearful Tribute to Simone Biles Steals the Show After Gritty 24-15 Win Over Philadelphia
In a Black Friday thriller that had NFL fans glued to Prime Video, the Chicago Bears delivered a statement victory, steamrolling the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 24-15 at Lincoln Financial Field.
The date? November 29, 2025 – a day that will be etched in Bears lore not just for the on-field dominance, but for a post-game moment of raw emotion from safety Jonathan Owens that left the entire locker room, sideline, and social media in tears.
As the confetti fell and the Bears improved to 9-3, clinching control of the NFC North, Owens turned the spotlight to his wife, Olympic legend Simone Biles, in a heartfelt interview that transcended football. “When I win, everyone celebrates.
But when I’m injured, hurting, or disappointed, it is she who stands by me, encouraging and lifting me up…” Owens said, his voice cracking as he wiped away tears.
Biles, watching from the stands in a custom Bears jersey emblazoned with “Owens 36,” rushed down post-whistle, her embrace igniting a chain reaction of sniffles across the stadium.
This wasn’t just a win over Philadelphia – it was a win for love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond fueling Chicago’s surprising 2025 surge.
The matchup pitted two 8-3 juggernauts against each other in the NFL’s marquee holiday clash, with the Eagles desperate to snap a two-game skid that had fans chanting “Fire Sirianni!” from the tailgates.
Philadelphia, fresh off a gut-wrenching collapse against the Cowboys where they blew a 21-0 lead, entered as 7-point favorites, banking on Jalen Hurts’ dual-threat magic and Saquon Barkley’s ground-and-pound to reclaim NFC East glory. But rookie Bears coach Ben Johnson – the former Lions offensive whiz – had other plans.
Johnson’s squad, riding a four-game win streak into Philly, unleashed a punishing rushing attack that tallied a jaw-dropping 281 yards on the ground, the most Philadelphia’s vaunted defense had surrendered all season. It was a clinic in old-school football: control the line, chew the clock, and let the defense feast.
From the opening kickoff, Chicago set the tone.
On their first possession, Bears running back D’Andre Swift – facing his former team after a 2024 trade – gashed the Eagles for 125 yards and a touchdown, including a daggering 3-yard plunge that silenced the green-clad crowd and put Chicago up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
Swift, who inked a three-year, $24 million deal with the Bears last offseason, avenged his Philly departure with a vengeance, averaging 5.2 yards per carry against a front seven led by Haason Reddick and Jalen Carter. “This one’s for the doubters,” Swift said post-game, flashing a grin that spoke volumes.
Complementing Swift was undrafted gem Kyle Monangai, who erupted for 130 yards and his own score, including a 22-yard scamper in the third quarter that extended the lead to 17-9.
Together, they formed a thunder-and-lightning duo that rendered Hurts’ signature “tush push” irrelevant – Philadelphia managed just 83 rushing yards, their lowest output since Week 1.
Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, didn’t dazzle with arm talent – completing 13-of-31 for 180 yards, one touchdown, and an interception – but he managed the game like a veteran, avoiding the turnovers that plagued Chicago early in the season.
His pinpoint fourth-down dart to tight end Colston Loveland in the red zone kept drives alive, setting up Cairo Santos’ two field goals that proved decisive.
The Bears’ offensive line, anchored by Pro Bowler Darnell Wright, stonewalled the Eagles’ pass rush, giving Williams ample time to orchestrate a balanced attack that held the ball for 34:22. Johnson’s play-calling? Masterful.
He mixed in misdirection draws and play-action boots, keeping Philly’s linebackers guessing and opening lanes that turned a supposed shootout into a groundhog day for the home team.
Defensively, the Bears were ferocious, sacking Hurts three times and forcing two turnovers that flipped the script on Philadelphia’s high-octane offense. Without star linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Jack Sanborn due to injury, Chicago’s depth shone through. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson blanketed A.J.
Brown, limiting the All-Pro receiver to 114 yards on nine catches – impressive stats, but two touchdowns came too late to matter.
The game’s turning point? A strip-sack by edge rusher Jaelan Phillips on third-and-1 at the Chicago 12, where Hurts’ tush push went awry, with the ball popping loose into the hands of safety Nahshon Wright.
That recovery sparked a 14-point Bears run, ballooning the lead to 24-9 and drawing boos that echoed like thunder from the 69,796 in attendance.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, face flushed with frustration, stuck with offensive coordinator Brian Patullo despite mounting calls for change, but the offense sputtered, managing just 10 points until a garbage-time score.
Hurts finished 19-of-34 for 230 yards and two TDs to Brown, but two picks – including one on a telegraphed slant to DeVonta Smith – and Philly’s inability to convert on third downs (3-of-12) doomed them.
The Eagles’ woes extended beyond the field: a pre-game report revealed ongoing contract disputes with Barkley, who looked hobbled after tweaking his ankle in warmups. Post-whistle, Sirianni’s presser was terse: “We got outcoached and outplayed.
Time to regroup.” For Philly, now 8-4 and clinging to the NFC East lead by a thread, the loss drops their playoff odds to 82% in The Athletic’s simulator – a far cry from the parade dreams of February.
But amid the gridiron grit, the real MVP story unfolded in the tunnel. Jonathan Owens, the Bears’ special teams ace and Biles’ husband since 2023, logged 12 snaps – mostly coverage duties where he downed a punt inside the 5-yard line to pin Philly deep.
Yet, it was his words that resonated deepest. In a sideline interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters, Owens – eyes welling up – poured out his soul: “Simone’s my rock. Through the injuries last year, the trades, the doubts… she lifts me when no one else does.
Winning this for her? It’s everything.” Biles, the 28-year-old phenom with 11 Olympic medals and fresh off a 2025 media tour touting her potential 2028 comeback, had jetted in on a private Bears WAGs flight, complete with tequila toasts and custom balloons.
Her reaction? A tear-streaked sprint to Owens, wrapping him in a hug that cameras caught in slow-mo, her whisper audible: “You did it, baby – for us.” The clip went mega-viral on X, racking up 5 million views in hours, with fans dubbing it “the most wholesome NFL moment since Kelce-Swift.” Owens, choking back sobs, added, “It’s real now, huh?” – a nod to skeptics who questioned Chicago’s contender status.
This victory catapults the Bears into a showdown with rival Green Bay next Sunday, their first divisional clash of 2025, with NFC North implications sky-high.
For Owens and Biles, it’s another chapter in a power-couple saga that began on Raya during the pandemic and blossomed through her Tokyo redemption and his journeyman grit.
In a league of fleeting fame, their story endures – a reminder that behind every snap, there’s a support system unbreakable as a Bears goal-line stand. Chicago faithful, your Black Friday gift just keeps giving. Who’s ready for more?
