Chiefs-Bears Preseason Finale Breakdown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Chicago comes to town to close out the preseason at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday night, just two weeks before the Chiefs open the regular season in Brazil against the Chargers.

To see the live game thread, scheduled to kick off at 7:20 p.m. CT, scroll down. But first…

On the air (where to watch)

Television: KSHB, Channel 41/Chiefs Preseason TV Network, Ari Wolfe (play-by-play), former Chiefs QB Trent Green (analyst), Kimmi Chex (sideline analyst) and Matt McMullen (sideline reporter).

Streaming: Outside the Kansas City and Chicago markets, the game is available on NFL+ live with subscription.

Radio: KFNZ-FM (96.5 The Fan), Voice of the Chiefs Mitch Holthus, former Chiefs WR Danan Hughes and sideline reporter Josh Klingler.

Tico Sports, Oscar Monterroso, Hannah Bassham and sideline reporter Alvaro Alvarez, Spanish-language broadcast available on the Audacy app (“Chiefs en Espanol”) within the Kansas City market and on KSSA La Ke Buena (105.9 FM) in Garden City, Kan., as well as KSMM 1770 AM in Liberal, Kan.

NFL Network will replay the game at 7 p.m. CT on Monday.

A few other appetizers

The game is the first at Arrowhead Stadium since the Chiefs completed a significant modification to meet FIFA requirements in advance of the 2026 World Cup. President Mark Donovan said Thursday that construction crews had to move 9 million pounds of concrete to create the ability to widen the field for soccer next June. And while 3,500 seats were affected in the first 5-12 rows of the lower bowl, fans won’t notice. The only difference is a metal floor beneath seats, instead of concrete. Capacity for Chiefs games remains the same.

Julian Lerner, 17, will perform the Star Spangled Banner. A rising actor, singer and musician, Lerner has performed on Broadway and starred in several movies on all the major streaming platforms. He’s also a recording artist.

The colors will be presented by the JROTC from Van Horn High School, which produced former Cy Young Award-winner and childhood Royals fan Rick Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe’s family has been in the Kansas City area for generations.

Aug 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; L-R Rick Sutcliffe, Shawon Dunston and Jody Davis honor former Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg (23) while holding a base before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Friday is the 41st annual Chiefs Charity Game. Recognized as the NFL’s top philanthropic game of its type, it continues a long-standing commitment of supporting the local community that was started by team founder Lamar Hunt more than four decades ago. This year’s beneficiary is the Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).

Players on the bubble

Friday’s game is the final opportunity for several Chiefs players to audition for the 53-man roster. After the contest, Kansas City along with 31 other NFL teams needs to cut or place on reserve 37 players.

Wide receiver: Brett Veach dealt Skyy Moore to San Francisco on Wednesday but the Chiefs still need to decide whether Jason Brownlee or Nikko Remigio make their final roster.

Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jason Brownlee (89) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Running back: Unrestricted free agent Elijah Mitchell and/or second-year fullback Carson Steele might be in jeopardy.

Defensive line: Defensive end Malik Herring will get the first crack at replacing Felix Anudike-Uzomah (placed on season-ending injured reserve Monday), but Herring might not survive the numbers. Free agent defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, a former first-round draft choice, might be in the same boat.

Linebacker: Keep an eye on Cooper McDonald, a non-drafted rookie from TCU. He might solidify a surprise berth on the final roster with his play Friday against Chicago. Another former non-drafted player, Cam Jones, could be at risk, although he’s a valuable member of Dave Toub’s special teams.

Sep 14, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Cooper McDonald (44) nearly intercepts the ball during the first quarter against the UCF Knights at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Cornerback: Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson could find themselves on the outside looking in by the end of the weekend. Williams is expected to see plenty of snaps Friday against Chicago, but Johnson will not play with a shoulder injury.

Be sure to follow along (below) with our live game thread for updates throughout Friday’s contest.

Pregame

Chiefs scratches for tonight are safety Mike Edwards, cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, tight end Jake Briningstool, linebacker Jack Cochrane, offensive lineman Ethan Driskell, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott and wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee).

Gameday weather is 84 degrees with a slight breeze (5 mph).

Chicago won the toss and defers. The Chiefs will receive.

First quarter

SCORING UPDATE NO. 1 -- Patrick Mahomes drives Chiefs 69 yards on eight plays in 28 plays, 69 yards in 2:52. Isiah Pacheco scores on a 2-yard run. Chiefs 7, Bears 0. That's two preseason drives and two touchdowns for Mahomes. Kansas City 7, Chicago 0.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 2 -- Harrison Butker good on 31-yard field goal. Chiefs' offensive line provided great protection on third down but Kareem Hunt didn't secure a Mahomes pass in the end zone. Key play on drive was Mahomes' 58-yard strike to Tyquan Thornton down the left hash. The deep ball is back for the Chiefs. Kansas City 10, Chicago 0.

Start of second quarter

Chiefs begin quarter leading 10-0 with the ball. First and goal from the Bears' 4-yard line.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 3 -- Patrick Mahomes finds Rashee Rice for a 4-yard touchdown. Chiefs 17, Bears 0.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 4 -- Bears fail to pick up Leo Chenal blitz on second down before Caleb Williams incompletion, and Bryan Cook breaks up third-down pass intended for Rome Odunze in end zone. Cairo Santos hits 28-yard field goal. Chiefs 17, Bears 3, 8:46 left in second quarter.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 5 -- Gardner Minshew replaces Mahomes and guides 13-play, 59-yard drive (6:01 off the clock), but has to settle for 23-yard field goal. Chiefs 20, Bears 3, just under three minutes in first half.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 6 -- Against several second-team Chiefs players, Williams guides Bears on seven-play, 78-yard drive with 3-yard touchdown pass to Odunze. Chiefs 20, Bears 10, late in first half.

Start of third quarter

SCORING UPDATE NO. 7 -- New quarterback Chris Oladokun drives Kansas City 63 yards on four plays, including a 50-yard strike to Jimmy Holliday, to set up Elijah Mitchell's 2-yard touchdown run. Chiefs 27, Bears 10, 7:59 reamaining, third quarter.

TURNOVER -- Daniel Hardy sacks Oladokun, forcing a fumble. The quarterback is initially ruled down before losing the ball but Ben Johnson successfully challenges the call. First-and-10 Chicago at their own 41-yard line with four minutes left in the third quarter.

Start of fourth quarter

Tyson Bagent and the Bears begin the final stanza trailing 27-10, but threatening with second-and-6 at the Chiefs' 13-yard line.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 8 -- Chicago goes 73 yards in 12 plays, getting a 3-yard touchdown pass from Bagent to Joel Wilson. The ensuing two-point attempt fails. Chiefs 27, Bears 22, 4:58 remaining in game.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 9 -- In impressive fashion, Bagent guides Bears on 10-play, 87-yard drive with no timeouts, finding Jahdae Walker for a 6-yard, go-ahead touchdown with 3 seconds remaining. Chicago takes a 29-27 lead, erasing a 17-point deficit with 19 unanswered points.

FINAL SCORE: Chicago 29, Kansas City 27.

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