Chicago Bears take major step toward leaving city after more than a century as franchise makes Indiana plans

We could beryllium seeing the extremity of an epoch unfold successful existent clip arsenic a bequest NFL franchise with a period of past successful its signature American metropolis is moving guardant with plans to permission town: The Bears are advancing their stadium improvement task successful Hammond, Indiana.

The squad announced Friday day that it has taken this important measurement toward pulling up stakes from Chicago and adjacent the authorities of Illinois.

The Bears' committee of directors met connected Thursday, into the evening, and voted to beforehand the stadium improvement task successful Hammond, Indiana — with an nonstop stadium tract to beryllium selected.

"We judge a world-class stadium task successful Hammond volition alteration the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago done the Loop and crossed the neighborhoods and suburbs stretching northbound of the city," Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey and CEO Kevin Warren said successful a statement.

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"It volition bring Chicagoland unneurotic and present caller opportunities to its residents and businesses."

This is the archetypal clip the team's committee has voted connected a stadium site. So this is notable and significant, but an NFL root told Fox News determination is simply a accidental Illinois mightiness inactive beryllium capable to person the squad to enactment successful the state. Those chances were characterized arsenic requiring "a Hail Mary" governmental effort.

And this: That Hail Mary, adjacent if it were to work, volition inactive determination the nine retired of Chicago with the lone tract successful Illinois arsenic a apt landing spot being successful Arlington Heights, Ill.

Chicago Bears helmets are displayed earlier the crippled against the Las Vegas Raiders astatine Allegiant Stadium successful Paradise, Nev., connected Sept. 28, 2025. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

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The NFL has been gathering with some the Bears and officials from some Illinois and Indiana successful the past six months, and the league's Stadium Committee is alert of the latest determination by the club.

"The nine has kept the stadium committee and league bureau apprised of each developments," NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN successful a statement.

The NFL seemingly has nary stated qualms astir the Bears moving retired of Chicago. The New York Giants moved retired of New York and crossed authorities lines to New Jersey. They were followed by the New York Jets.

The Raiders near Oakland for Los Angeles, past near Los Angeles, and are present successful Las Vegas. The Rams, similarly, near Los Angeles for St. Louis, past returned to L.A.

And the St. Louis Cardinals are present the Arizona Cardinals.

Chicago Bears president George H. McCaskey introduces caller Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren during a property league astatine Halas Hall successful Chicago, Illinois, connected Jan. 17, 2023. (Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports)

New, shiny, money-producing stadiums person a mode of luring NFL teams.

Chicago, and to a lesser degree, Illinois has not precisely been keen connected helping the Bears physique a new, shiny, money-producing stadium wrong their borders.

A "megaprojects" measure died successful the Illinois legislature past Sunday. The connection would person allowed the Bears to negociate payments successful lieu of paying spot taxes connected the Arlington Heights, Illinois, spot they presently own.

At 11 p.m. Sunday, Illinois authorities Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) introduced the authorities that would let Cook County cities with much than 70,000 residents (like Arlington Heights and Chicago) to make their ain sports stadium authority. The Bears would person past paid for the operation of the caller stadium, which the franchise has dedicated $2 cardinal successful backing toward.

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The measure would person fixed the squad spot taxation certainty but it did not succeed.

Indiana passed akin authorities for the Bears successful February, and the measure was signed into instrumentality by Governor Mike Braun.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker basal unneurotic during a property league amid reports of national deployments to Chicago connected Sept. 2, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

So arsenic it stands now, Chicago politician Brandon Johnson and J.B. Pritzker look, well, beauteous bad.

They are the politicians who person either done inaction oregon mediocre readying failed to propulsion done authorities to assistance support the Bears, first, successful Chicago, and secondly, successful the authorities astatine all.

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They could rather perchance spell down arsenic the politicians who oversaw the departure of a franchise founded successful Illinois successful 1920 that was moved to Chicago by Pro Football Hall of Fame manager and proprietor George Halas successful 1921.

Here we are implicit a period later, and the Bears person 1 ft retired the doorway of some Chicago and Illinois.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO