The Philadelphia Eagles will face the Chicago Bears in the NFL’s lone Black Friday matchup. Both teams enter at 8–3, sitting atop their respective NFC divisions, with the Los Angeles Rams leading the conference at 9–2.
With two red-hot contenders meeting, the matchup already promises a must-watch showdown. However, the festivities will begin even earlier, as a captivating performance of the national anthem is scheduled to kick off the event. So who will be taking the mic? Let’s find out.
Meet The National Anthem Performer For Bears- Eagles Black Friday Game
Ukrainian-born saxophone artist Ivan Glubish, known professionally as Vanya Sax, is set to perform the national anthem at the NFL’s Black Friday game between the Eagles and Bears at Lincoln Financial Field.
This marks his second performance for the Eagles after his electrifying rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” captivated fans during last season’s Eagles–Packers Wild Card matchup.
Glubish originally expected to perform at a birthday party during an Eagles tailgate before receiving the formal invitation to play at the playoff game. As a recent immigrant, the moment was overwhelming, but his performance created an instant connection with the city.
“For me, to perform the national anthem for all of Philadelphia, it was such an honor because I didn’t grow up here. I’am an immigrant, I was just very nervous, I wanted to make sure everyone loved it….I appreciated that Philadelphia accepted me,” he said, via Phillyinquirer.
Glubish began playing saxophone at the age of 10 while studying at a music school in Ukraine with his twin brother. Following the 2014 Russian invasion, he followed his twin brother to Philadelphia in 2015 in search of safety and opportunity.
Like many newcomers, he had to learn English from scratch. He worked in construction alongside his brother to establish a new life. However, he never abandoned music and continued performing wherever he could, gradually building his career across Philadelphia and eventually becoming an Eagles fan himself.
His talent has since led him to perform at private events, including one with Snoop Dogg and even in front of Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham.
Still, nothing matched the moment he stepped onto the field in 2024 to perform the anthem before a national playoff audience. The response was so overwhelming that the NFL brought him back, and this time for one of the league’s marquee regular-season clashes on Black Friday.
Insights For Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles
Bears
Team: A win gives the Bears their first winning season since 2018, when they went 12-4.
QB: Caleb Williams has seven touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown, no interceptions, and one lost fumble during the Bears’ four-game winning streak. His QBi in Week 12 was the fourth-best in the NFL at 77.7 (C+).
Offense: Chicago is 12th in the NFL in PFSN Offense Impact (OFFi) after finishing 25th or lower the previous four seasons.
Defense: Chicago has forced at least two turnovers in seven of 11 games. The team has ended an opponent’s drive with a turnover at an NFL-leading 20%.
Fantasy:
- Caleb Williams against bottom-half pass defenses: 25.4 PPG
- Caleb Williams against top half pass defenses: 13.2 PPG
- The Eagles are currently the No. 16 pass defense in terms of fantasy points per game allowed to QBs
Philadelphia Eagles
Team: The Week 12 loss to the Cowboys snapped the Eagles’ 11-game win streak in November dating back to 2022.
QB: Jalen Hurts had two rushing touchdowns in Week 12 after having two total in his previous seven games.
Offense: Saquon Barkley has rushed for over 100 yards in a game one time. He had 11 games last season with over 100 yards. Barkley’s Running Back Impact (RBi) score is 74.4 (31st in the NFL) after having an 88.7 last season (3rd).
Defense: Philadelphia had the 22nd DEFi in Week 12, snapping a streak of three weeks in the top 10.
READ MORE: Week 13 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Fall After Loss to Cowboys, Steelers Tumble
Fantasy: The Eagles are undefeated (4-0) in games in which A.J. Brown has four receptions or fewer. Jalen Hurts attempted 39 passes and rushed seven times in the Eagles’ loss to the Cowboys last week. Saquon Barkley had 10 carries. Expect a very run-heavy game plan this week.