When Tom Thayer posed a crowd-noise question to Brian Urlacher on Bears Etc., it turned into a rare defensive teaching moment rooted in experience. Two former Chicago Bears players discussing the effects of the fan presence at Soldier Field feels surreal. It's not imagination, it's from within, it's from experience.
The 2025 Bears are set for their Wild Card matchup against rival Green Bay Packers for only their third playoff head-to-head in their long history. As with any modern NFL game, the venue matters, as the fans make all the difference. Home-field advantage may seem small on paper, but the side effects can be felt in a very real capacity.
“So I didn’t try to listen to it, because like you said, there’s so many dummy snap counts going on. You don’t know what’s real and what’s not real. There were certain things you could pick up during the game, but I felt like the less I could hear, the better. I just wanted to hear our crowd drowning them out. That’s all I cared about.”
Environment as an Advantage for Bears
Modern offenses aren't composing themselves the way they did back when Thayer helped the '85 Bears to their legendary Super Bowl victory, but one thing that hasn't changed is the crowd. Chicago sports fans are more dedicated than ever. Their contribution to the game acts as an insulation between the offense and the defense, and it makes for good, intense football.
Some modern offenses are more skilled at the silent snap count than others. Deception has always been a part of football, especially at the pro level. But the mechanics have advanced over the years, and the schemes these teams are running are more complicated than they were back then. Removing the opposing quarterback's ability to hear the play call adds an entire layer of difficulty that wouldn't otherwise be present, and Urlacher would know that better than anyone.
“You gotta pay attention, right? You gotta get all the guys paying attention. And you really do lock in more. When you know it’s loud and it’s super important that every guy gets the call, you lock in more. The DBs are looking at you, the corners are looking at you, even the D-linemen turn around sometimes. It’s more important when it’s loud that you all communicate and you’re on the same page.” - Brian Urlacher
In loud environments, communication becomes nonnegotiable, and hesitation gets exposed immediately. The noise raises the standard that the Bears must play. When a defense lacks communication and reliability, it usually leads to chunk plays and more first downs than you'd like.
Read more: Brian Urlacher sends strong message to Bears ahead of Packers playoff showdown
In January, crowd noise is not about intimidation or tradition; it's about execution under pressure. Urlacher's explanation makes it clear that a loud stadium does not excuse mistakes; it exposes them. If the Bears are going to lean on home-field advantage in a playoff setting, it will only matter if the defense is prepared to communicate, lock in, and meet that higher standard together.