Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Dustin Rikert, Hallmark’s ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story’ adds a sporty twist to a classic Christmas romance story. When Avery Clark, a freelance journalist, is tasked with tailing and profiling Darlene Donnelly, a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, she doesn’t quite know what world she is about to step into. Darlene is somewhat of a celebrity in the circle and seems to be drawing a lot of attention because she is about to watch her 500th game. As the bond between them grows, Darlene introduces Avery to her grandson, Matt Donnelly, a Chicago firefighter. Thus begins a tale of romance and festivities, in which Avery comes to realize just how powerful sports can be as a binding agent for the community.
Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story Filming Locations
Chicago, the largest city in Illinois, serves as the primary backdrop for the film, with the production crew setting up camp in key locations across the city to showcase its vibrant culture and aesthetics. Filming got underway in early July of 2026 and wrapped on the 27th of that month. Given that the film depicts the Christmas season, the cast can be seen donning winter gear in sweltering heat, with artificial snow, as well as other digital and practical effects being brought in for filming.
Chicago, Illinois
‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story’ was filmed entirely in and around Chicago, Illinois, as part of Hallmark’s partnership with the NFL, Skydance Sports, and the Chicago Bears. While the story is set around the holiday season, filming mainly took place in the hot month of July, which meant that fake snow was used to recreate the effect. That said, most of the production was centered around practical locations, or, as producer Andrew Gernhard told The Hollywood Reporter’s Rick Porter, “We’re staying in the city. We’re shooting in the city.” Thus, most of the football sequences were taped at the iconic Soldier Field, located at 1410 Special Olympics Drive.
A significant portion of the film was also filmed at Halas Hall, which serves as the real-life Chicago Bears team’s headquarters and practice facility in Lake Forest. There, the cast and crew staged a charity auction scene linked to Bears Care, the organization’s charitable arm. Filming also extended farther south to Blue Island, where the real Blue Island Fire Station at 2450 Vermont Street was used for multiple scenes involving Matt and his fellow firefighters. The cast and crew also temporarily took over the historic Fred A. Busse Chicago Fireboat, which served the fire department for around four decades in the 20th century.
The production also ventured beyond the locations more closely associated with the Bears, with Wrigley Field making a notable appearance in the movie. Located at 1060 West Addison Street, the historic ballpark features in a flashback involving Darlene and her late husband Bernie, while its famous building canopy can also be spotted in one of the montage sequences. The Blue Island Public Library, located at 2433 York Street, also makes an appearance, serving as the setting for a scene in which Darlene reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas in Chicago’ to a group of children. Locals also spotted the crew at work around NBC Tower, CityFront Plaza, Columbus Drive, and various other icons of The Windy City.
The crew didn’t just set up camp in sport-centric locations around the city, as the smaller neighborhoods of Chicago also play a major role in bringing the film to life. The Irish Nobleman Pub, situated at 1367 West Erie Street, serves as the bar run by Avery’s mother, Jody, and stepfather, Ron. The bustling Federal Plaza, located in the city’s Loop district, was also transformed into a Christmas market. On the Far North Side, Andersonville Hardware Store on Clark Street was dressed for the shoot with Bears colors and artificial snow for holiday scenes. All of this was done to amp up the immersion factor, and truly make the film feel like a celebration of Bears and the city’s culture.
Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story Cast Details
Actors Lyndsy Fonseca, Robert Buckley, and Marsha Mason lead the cast of ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story.’ Beyond the world of acting, Fonseca has interests ranging from dance and soccer to rollerblading and skiing. Buckley, meanwhile, is an avid sports enthusiast with a particular fondness for soccer, as well as a love for ’80s pop music. Mason, too, has cultivated a rather eclectic set of interests over the years, including organic gardening, farming, and even race car driving. These little details add another layer to this strong cast that blends experience and authenticity into their performance.
Lyndsy Fonseca as Avery Clark
Lyndsy Fonseca steps into the role of Avery Clark, a freelance reporter whose job draws her into Chicago’s football community in all of its shades. Fonseca is perhaps best known for her work in the series ‘The Young and the Restless,’ where she essays the role of Colleen Carlton. Some of her other popular roles include Alex Udinov in ‘Nikita,’ Penny in ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ Dylan Mayfair in ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and Angie Martinelli in ‘Agent Carter.’ The actor also has an impressive film resume under her belt, especially with titles like ‘Kick-Ass’ and its sequel, ‘Kick-Ass 2,’ where she essays Katie Deauxma. Fonseca has been a longtime collaborator with Hallmark and can be found in titles such as ‘Where Are You, Christmas?’ and ‘Next Stop, Christmas.’
Robert Buckley as Matt
Robert Buckley plays Matt Donnelly, a Chicago firefighter whose passion for the Bears brings him closer to Avery as the story goes on. This isn’t the actor’s first time donning a sports-centric role, as he has built a strong presence in television with his role as Clay Evans, a sports agent, in ‘One Tree Hill.’ Buckley also appears as Major Lilywhite in the show ‘iZombie,’ Evan Kincaid in ‘Chesapeake Shores,’ and Kirby Atwood in ‘Lipstick Jungle.’ His journey with Hallmark, particularly its romantic and festive features, includes ‘The Christmas House’ and its sequel, ‘The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls,’ in which he plays Mike Mitchell. He also features opposite Alexandra Breckenridge in ‘Love in Store,’ where he portrays David Crabtree.
Marsha Mason as Darlene Donnelly
Legendary actor Marsha Mason essays the role of Darlene Donnelly, a lifelong Bears fan whose upcoming 500th game becomes the subject of Avery’s report. With a screen career spanning several decades, Mason has earned as many as four Academy Award nominations, notably for her performances as Maggie Paul in ‘Cinderella Liberty,’ Paula McFadden in ‘The Goodbye Girl,’ Jennie MacLaine in ‘Chapter Two,’ and Georgia Hines in ‘Only When I Laugh.’ The actor has also made her mark on television, playing Sherry Dempsey in ‘Frasier,’ Pat Spence in ‘The Middle,’ Arlene in ‘Grace and Frankie,’ and Dr. Kinsey Sherman in ‘Madam Secretary.’
Alongside the main leads, the cast consists of Barbara Alyn Woods as Jody and Khary Payton as Ron, Avery’s mother and stepfather, respectively. Other cast members include Jasmine Baker as a Chicago Bears team reporter, Heidi Musec as Young Darlene, Brian Keys as Garrett, and Abraham Benrubi as Santa. Tamera Mowry-Housley, Marilu Henner, Jake Connelly, and Dyon “Mojo” Brooks also make cameo appearances. Interestingly, the movie also features some Chicago Bears figures, such as Connie Payton and the team mascot, Staley Da Bear.
Another unique aspect of this production is that it features numerous real-life Chicago Bears figures, including head coach Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams, players Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, and former players Mike Singletary, Charles “Peanut” Tillman, and Dan Hampton. As an ode to The City of Big Shoulders and its vibrant sports culture, this is as perfect as it gets.
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