The Chicago Bears are widening the scope of their stadium search in a move that could reshape the future of the franchise-and potentially shift it across state lines.
In a letter sent to season ticket holders, team president Kevin Warren acknowledged that the Bears are now actively exploring stadium sites beyond Illinois, including northwest Indiana. It’s a significant development in what’s become a long and winding journey to secure a new home for one of the NFL’s most historic franchises.
“This is not about leverage,” Warren emphasized in the letter. “We spent years trying to build a new home in Cook County. We invested significant time and resources evaluating multiple sites and rationally decided on Arlington Heights.”
But the path in Arlington Heights has been anything but smooth. After years of planning and negotiations, the Bears have hit repeated roadblocks-most notably in their efforts to secure tax breaks and $855 million in public funding from Illinois lawmakers. That uphill battle has now led the team to consider alternate paths, with northwest Indiana emerging as a serious contender.
For fans, the idea of the Bears playing outside Illinois might feel jarring. After all, this is a franchise that’s called Chicago home for over a century.
They moved to the city in 1921 from Decatur, where they were originally founded as the Staleys in 1920. The Bears name came just a year later, in 1922.
Their current home, Soldier Field, has been the team’s base since 1971, though the stadium itself dates back to 1924 and underwent major renovations in the early 2000s.
But Warren made it clear: this is about the future-and about finally giving Bears players, coaches, and fans a stadium that meets the modern NFL standard.
“Our fans deserve a world-class stadium,” Warren wrote. “Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day. With that in mind, our organization must keep every credible pathway open to deliver that future.”
The Bears are one of the NFL’s founding franchises, and right now, they’re playing in the league’s oldest and smallest stadium. That’s not just a footnote-it’s a real limitation in today’s NFL, where modern venues offer not just better facilities for players and fans, but also year-round revenue opportunities that help fuel competitive rosters.
The mention of northwest Indiana isn’t just a throwaway line, either. Back in September, sports consultant Marc Ganis noted that Indiana had taken steps to make itself a viable landing spot.
The state legislature approved a stadium authority specifically for northwest Indiana, with the clear aim of attracting teams from Chicago. While nothing is set in stone, the infrastructure-and the interest-are already in place.
Ganis also pointed out that the White Sox could be in the mix for relocation as well, but the Bears are clearly the headliner in this conversation.
If the team were to move across the border, it wouldn’t be unprecedented. The New York Jets and Giants both play in New Jersey, and yet their identity remains firmly tied to New York. Still, for a franchise as steeped in tradition as the Bears, moving out of Illinois would be a seismic shift.
There’s also the matter of Soldier Field’s location. While staying near the lakefront might seem ideal, it comes with its own set of challenges-namely, navigating Chicago’s strict lakefront protection laws. That’s part of why the Bears have been so aggressive in evaluating suburban options like Arlington Heights and now Indiana.
Warren closed his letter with a direct message to fans, acknowledging their passion and loyalty while reinforcing the team’s commitment to delivering a stadium worthy of their support.
“Every home game, we are reminded of one thing. Bears fans are the best fans in all of sports.
We appreciate you. You cheer.
You care. You love your Chicago Bears.”
At the heart of this stadium saga is a simple but powerful idea: the Bears want to build not just a team that can win, but a home that reflects the standard they’re striving for. Whether that home ends up in Arlington Heights, Indiana, or somewhere else entirely, one thing is clear-the Bears are thinking big, and they’re not afraid to shake things up to get there.