Chicago Bears updates: Playoff run ends in heartbreaking OT loss against Rams

Crews came out early Thursday morning to build the Caleb Williams "Iceman" sculpture.

The best hype team in the NFL the Monster Squad were out at the Merchandise Mart, energizing fans ahead of Sunday's game.

Fans are loving it taking photos all morning long as post-season anticipation builds.

Staley da Bear will also be on hand to greet folks during lunch hour and Bears alum Anthony "Spice" Adams - will also help hand out Bears-themed giveaways to fans as we inch closer to the NFC divisional round game against the Los Angeles Rams.

This will be on display until 6 p.m. There will be another ice sculpture and a live demonstration at Soldier Field on game day.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun says he is working hard bring the Chicago Bears' new stadium to Indiana.

The governor brought it up during his State of the State address Wednesday night.

As talks between the Bears and Illinois political leaders continue, Indiana's governor used a very public stage to put his hat in the ring.

"With our strong business environment, it's not surprising that another organization has noticed that Indiana is open for business, the Chicago Bears," Braun said.

Braun's comments during his formal State of the State address came as the Bears survey season ticket holders about a potential new stadium in Northwest Indiana and days after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell looked at proposed stadium locations in Indiana and Arlington Heights.

"We're going to make sure that we do the best that we can for the Bears, but most of all that we're not wasting taxpayer money," Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said.

As a condition of public money, Pritzker wants the Bears to pay off hundreds of millions of dollars in remaining debt from Soldier Field's 2003 renovation.

Soldier Field looks quite a bit different now than it did 40 years ago. That was the last time the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams met in the playoffs, and Bears fans are hoping for a similar result on Sunday.

It was the NFC Championship game, with the winner going to the Super Bowl in January 1986. The game featured legendary Bears, including future hall of famers like Walter Payton.

It matched two legendary head coaches in Mike Ditka and the Rams' John Robinson, but the game was never close.

Hall of Fame defensive tackle Dan Hampton, another '85 Bear, had a quarterback sack and a forced fumble in that NFC Championship game against the Rams. The Bears won it easily 24 to nothing. He believes the current Bears can win this time around as well.

"They're not scared of anybody," Hampton said. "They think they can match up with anyone, anywhere."

The Bears were overwhelming favorites coming into the game against the Rams 40 years ago. Oddsmakers however have the Rams as the favorite for this Sunday's game.

Talk about going viral in the best possible way, and all it took was a quarter wheel of cheese from Costco and a $9 cheese grater to turn a Southwest Side native into an Chicago legend.

It's been a few days since Brandon Martinez made Bears fan history by becoming the "Cheese Grater Guy" at Saturday's playoff game comeback win against the Green Bay Packers, but Martinez is still flying high and still grating that cheese.

"The phone can't stay charged," Martinez said. "I have people telling me so and so wants to talk to you. And I'm like, ok give me a second."

It all started in the fourth quarter, when the Bears scored their first touchdown of what until had been a downer of a game.

"That was the plan. Once they scored a touchdown, the cheese was coming out," Martinez said.

It didn't take long before the stadium's camera crew caught sight of him.

"He gave me the signal to do it again, to keep going, so we were shredding the cheese," Martinez said.

A little surprise came his way, courtesy of Miller Lite. Martinez was invited to attend the Bears-Rams game at Soldier Field.