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49ers vs Bears Player Stats: Key Performances in Week 17 Win

Benjamin Owen Carter Hayes • 2026-07-30 • Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

If you love a game that throws a stat sheet out the window and just keeps scoring, the Week 17 clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears was exactly that: the 49ers edged out a 42-38 victory in a shootout at Levi’s Stadium on December 28, 2025, a game that produced 11 total touchdowns and over 930 yards of offense. This breakdown of the 49ers vs Bears player stats focuses on the individual performances that turned this game into a statistical duel.

Final Score: 49ers 42, Bears 38 ·
Total Yards: 936 combined yards ·
Caleb Williams Passing Yards: 330 ·
Total Touchdowns: 11 combined ·
Christian McCaffrey Rushing Touchdowns: 1

Quick snapshot

1Game Overview
2Quarterback Duel
3Rushing Attack
4Defensive Highlights

The 6 key facts from the box score tell one clear story: the 49ers held the edge in total yardage, but the Bears’ passing attack kept them in the game until the final whistle.

Statistic Value
Final Score 49ers 42, Bears 38
Total Yards 936 combined yards
Passing Leader Caleb Williams, 330 yards
Rushing Leader Christian McCaffrey, 1 TD
Turnovers Bears 2, 49ers 1 (estimated)
Time of Possession 49ers 31:15, Bears 28:45 (estimated)
The upshot

Caleb Williams threw for more yards than Brock Purdy, but Purdy’s five total touchdowns — including two on the ground — tilted the game’s outcome in San Francisco’s favor. For the Bears, the final drive fell short, and that’s the difference between a shootout win and a heartbreaking loss.

Did the 49ers beat the Bears today?

Game summary

The 49ers beat the Bears 42-38 in a Week 17 thriller that lived up to its primetime billing on Sunday Night Football. The game at Levi’s Stadium was a back-and-forth affair with 11 total touchdowns, and the 49ers’ ability to answer every Bears score proved decisive.

Final score

The final score of 49ers 42, Bears 38 was confirmed by FOX Sports’ official box score. The quarter-by-quarter scoring — Bears 14-14-7-10 and 49ers 14-14-7-7 — shows how evenly matched the teams were for most of the game (TeamRankings).

The pattern: both teams scored exactly 14 points in the first quarter and 7 in the third. The difference came in the second quarter, where the 49ers outscored Chicago 14-7 to take a 28-21 halftime lead.

Bottom line: The 49ers earned a high-scoring win at home. For bettors and fantasy players, the 49ers covering the spread was the story of the night.

Who’s favored in the 49er bear game?

Pre-game betting lines

The 49ers entered the game as clear favorites on their home turf at Levi’s Stadium. According to NFL.com’s Week 17 takeaways, the line reflected the 49ers’ strong home record and the Bears’ inconsistent road performance in the 2025 season. The over/under was set high, anticipating the offensive firepower on display.

Public perception

The public heavily backed the 49ers on the moneyline, but the Bears’ explosive start — 14 points in the first quarter — gave bettors who took Chicago with the points a fighting chance. The shootout surpassed the posted total, making the over a winner for those who bet the high-scoring script.

The implication: the betting market correctly identified the 49ers as the superior team, but the 42-38 margin meant the Bears likely covered a double-digit spread.

The catch

A 42-38 game where the loser scores 38 points is the exact scenario that busts under bets and rewards believers in Chicago’s offense. For anyone who faded Caleb Williams against a 49ers defense, the first quarter was a wake-up call.

The implication: the betting line correctly reflected the 49ers’ superiority, but the narrow margin suggests the Bears’ offense is a force to be reckoned with.

Who is the 49ers’ best player right now?

Top performers

Brock Purdy’s five-total-touchdown performance — three passing and two rushing — makes a strong case for him as the 49ers’ most valuable player in this game. Christian McCaffrey contributed a rushing touchdown and provided the stabilizing presence in the backfield that the 49ers’ offense relies on, as highlighted by 49ers.com.

Statistical leaders

Purdy’s 303 passing yards and five touchdowns place him among the league’s most productive quarterbacks in Week 17. ESPN notes that Purdy’s dual-threat capability — especially his two rushing scores — made him uniquely effective against a Bears defense that struggled to contain quarterback scrambles.

The pattern: Purdy’s rushing touchdowns were the difference-maker. In a game where both passing attacks were effective, Purdy’s ability to score on the ground gave the 49ers a dimension that Chicago couldn’t match.

Bottom line: Brock Purdy is the 49ers’ best player right now, based on his five-touchdown outing. For the 49ers’ playoff hopes, a quarterback who can beat you with both arm and legs is the kind of weapon that extends seasons.

The pattern: Purdy’s versatility is the 49ers’ offensive x-factor.

What were the key player stats in the 49ers vs Bears game?

Passing stats

  • Caleb Williams (Bears): 330 passing yards, 2 touchdowns (ChicagoBears.com)
  • Brock Purdy (49ers): 303 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns (ESPN)

Rushing stats

  • Brock Purdy (49ers): 2 rushing touchdowns (West Coast Football Substack)
  • Christian McCaffrey (49ers): 1 rushing touchdown (49ers.com)

Defensive stats

  • T.J. Edwards (Bears): 34-yard interception return for a touchdown (ESPN)
  • Bears defense: 2 sacks (estimated)
  • 49ers defense: Final drive stop to preserve win (Bears Insider)

The contrast: Williams out-passed Purdy by 27 yards, but Purdy’s rushing production — and the 49ers’ ability to run effectively in the red zone — produced the final margin.

Why this matters

For fantasy football players, Purdy’s dual rushing touchdowns were a massive value. For evaluators of the Bears’ defense, allowing two rushing touchdowns to a quarterback is a schematic failure that needs addressing in the offseason.

The takeaway: Purdy’s rushing touchdowns were the decisive factor in a game where every possession mattered.

How did Brock Purdy and Caleb Williams compare?

Quarterback stat comparison

The numbers reveal a fascinating split. Here’s how the two signal-callers stacked up:

Statistic Brock Purdy (49ers) Caleb Williams (Bears)
Passing Yards 303 330
Passing Touchdowns 3 2
Rushing Touchdowns 2 0
Total Touchdowns 5 2
Interceptions 1 (estimated) 1 (Edwards pick-six)
Passer Rating N/A N/A

Key plays

Williams’ 34-yard interception returned for a touchdown by T.J. Edwards shifted momentum early. Purdy answered with his two rushing scores, including a critical one on the ground that extended the 49ers’ lead. FOX Sports’ live blog described the game as a shootout where every possession mattered.

The trade-off: Williams was the superior pure passer, but Purdy’s versatility produced five touchdowns. In a game decided by 4 points, that versatility was the difference.

Bottom line: For the Bears, Williams proved he can compete in a shootout. For the 49ers, Purdy proved he can win in one. For GMs, one quarterback had five touchdowns and the other had a pick-six — the margin in the box score is the margin in the win column.

The implication: Purdy’s dual-threat capability is the edge that the 49ers need in January.

Timeline signal: How the game unfolded

  • 1st Quarter: 49ers take early lead with a touchdown. Bears respond immediately, tying 14-14 after the first period (FOX Sports).
  • 2nd Quarter: Bears jump ahead with two touchdowns, but the 49ers answer to take a 28-21 halftime lead (TeamRankings).
  • 3rd Quarter: Both teams exchange 7 points, keeping the margin at 7 points heading into the fourth (TeamRankings).
  • 4th Quarter: Bears score 10 points, but the 49ers hold on for a 42-38 win. Chicago’s final drive comes up short (Bears Insider).

Confirmed facts

  • 49ers won 42-38 (FOX Sports)
  • Caleb Williams threw for 330 yards (ChicagoBears.com)
  • Combined 11 touchdowns (NFL.com)
  • T.J. Edwards interception return for touchdown (ESPN)
  • Brock Purdy accounted for 5 total touchdowns (West Coast Football Substack)

What’s unclear

  • Exact Purdy passing yards not fully confirmed across all sources
  • Exact number of turnovers not specified in all recaps
  • Exact rushing yards for McCaffrey and Swift not confirmed
  • Third-down conversion rates not available
  • Exact number of sacks for each team not confirmed
  • Time of possession split is estimated

What’s next

The 49ers improved to 12-4 with the win, keeping their playoff positioning strong in a tight NFC race. According to NFL.com’s standings, the 49ers remain in contention for a top seed. For the Bears, the loss drops them further in the standings and raises questions about how they address defensive gaps — especially against mobile quarterbacks.

“Caleb Williams completed 25 of 42 passes for a season-high 330 yards with two touchdowns.”

— Chicago Bears official game recap (ChicagoBears.com)

“Brock Purdy and the 49ers hang on to beat the Bears 42-38.”

— CBSSports game recap (CBSSports)

The 49ers vs Bears player stats from this Week 17 matchup tell the story of a game that lived up to the hype. Brock Purdy’s five total touchdowns and Caleb Williams’ 330 passing yards will be the numbers that define this shootout for years to come. For the Bears, the lesson is clear: without a defensive answer for a dual-threat quarterback, even 38 points isn’t enough.

For the 49ers’ front office, the implication is straightforward: build around Purdy’s versatility, because a quarterback who can throw for 303 yards and run for two touchdowns is a weapon that NFC contenders will struggle to contain in January.

Frequently asked questions

What was the final score of the 49ers vs Bears game?

The 49ers beat the Bears 42-38 on December 28, 2025 at Levi’s Stadium (FOX Sports).

Who scored the first touchdown?

The 49ers scored first in the opening quarter to take an early lead (TeamRankings).

How many interceptions did each team have?

T.J. Edwards intercepted a pass for the Bears and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Purdy is estimated to have thrown 1 interception as well (ESPN).

What was the total attendance?

Total attendance figures have not been confirmed in available sources.

Which team had more penalty yards?

Penalty yardage totals have not been confirmed in available recaps.

Who was the leading rusher for the Bears?

D’Andre Swift led the Bears’ rushing attack, with exact yardage not specified in available sources.

What was the time of possession split?

The 49ers held the ball for an estimated 31:15, while the Bears had possession for 28:45.

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Benjamin Owen Carter Hayes

About the author

Benjamin Owen Carter Hayes

We publish daily fact-based reporting with continuous editorial review.