The Chicago Bears are finally playing winning football again-and for the first time in seven years, there's real playoff buzz in the Windy City. With a winning record and the postseason within reach, you'd expect nothing but smiles inside Halas Hall. But behind the scenes, there’s a different kind of tension brewing-one that has nothing to do with what’s happening on the field.
At the heart of the issue is the Bears’ long-running stadium saga. Team president Kevin Warren, brought in specifically for his experience with stadium development, is facing mounting pressure after the latest attempt to push forward with a new facility has hit another wall.
According to sources close to the situation, the Illinois state government has no plans to consider stadium-related legislation in 2026, effectively stalling the Bears’ progress once again. That delay has reportedly left team chairman George McCaskey furious.
This isn’t just a minor hiccup. McCaskey gave the green light to pursue a new stadium back in 2022, and Warren was hired in large part because of his résumé-most notably, his role in helping the Minnesota Vikings build U.S.
Bank Stadium. On paper, it was a smart hire.
In practice, the results have been underwhelming. Three years into the job, Warren has yet to deliver any tangible progress on the stadium front, and this latest setback only adds to the frustration inside the organization.
Sources indicate that while McCaskey is extremely displeased, he’s not ready to part ways with Warren-at least not yet. The situation would have to spiral further out of control for that to happen.
For now, the Bears are pivoting, opening the door to new potential sites, including some outside of Illinois. One location gaining momentum is northwest Indiana, which offers a more favorable tax structure and a state government that’s reportedly more willing to support new sports infrastructure.
Indiana officials have already made overtures to the Bears, hoping to lure the franchise across state lines. But there’s a major sticking point: McCaskey doesn’t want to leave Illinois.
His goal has always been to keep the team in Chicago-or at least close enough to still feel like home. A move to Indiana would represent a significant departure from that vision and, in McCaskey’s eyes, could tarnish the legacy of his grandfather, George Halas, the legendary founder of the franchise.
So why not just cut ties with Warren and bring in someone new to get the job done?
That’s where things get complicated. For one, Warren is believed to have played a role in hiring head coach Ben Johnson, who has been instrumental in turning the Bears around on the field.
How much influence Warren had in that hire is up for debate, but it’s enough to make McCaskey think twice about making a change at the top. It’s hard to argue with the results Johnson has delivered so far.
There’s also no immediate clock ticking. The Bears' lease at Soldier Field still has several years left, so while the stadium situation is frustrating, it’s not yet urgent. That gives the organization some breathing room-though not unlimited patience.
What’s clear is that McCaskey is growing increasingly frustrated with how the process has been handled. Warren, for all his past success, may have underestimated the political and logistical challenges of building a new stadium in Illinois. And now, with the state government showing no signs of budging, the Bears find themselves stuck in neutral.
For fans, the on-field product is finally something to celebrate. But off the field, the future of where the Bears will call home remains as uncertain as ever.