Nov 3, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Bears president and ceo Kevin Warren against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It became apparent that the Chicago Bears might be gaining the attention of Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois state government when he stated he was willing to discuss the idea of infrastructure help for the new stadium project. This was not a concession Pritzker had made public during the previous three years. It was the first sign that the Bears’ decision to entertain the idea of leaving Illinois for a possible new home in Northwest Indiana may have finally raised eyebrows in Springfield.
Well, it seems team president Kevin Warren and the team’s media machine decided to ratchet up the pressure. It came in two parts. First, the announcement that Indiana Senate Bill 27, intended to help establish stadium funding, had reached the floor. Expectations are that it will pass.
That is Indiana Senate Bill 27, introduced this evening, with the help of Majority Floor Leader, Sen. Chris Garten — establishing the funding mechanism for the stadium authority to build a future home for the Bears. Moving quickly…https://t.co/60w3JjLPAL
A few minutes later, the Bears delivered the second punch with a public statement expressing their excitement over the bill’s arrival and their appreciation for the cooperation they’ve received. If it didn’t feel real before, it has to now.
The Chicago Bears never had a credible threat before. They do now.
Part of the reason the organization had never made headway in stadium talks before was that it lacked true leverage. George Halas and the McCaskey family would threaten to leave, but nobody took them seriously. It was felt they didn’t have the stomach to do it. For all that time, they were correct. However, this time is different. The organization now has a clear path to a new home. Indiana is willing to pay a large share of the bill, while Illinois has repeatedly said it won’t. If money is the bottom line, this is a fundamental truth Pritzker can’t ignore.
This feels like the next step in a process that is rapidly escalating. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was spotted touring potential sites in Northwest Indiana. Now you have the bill being introduced and the Chicago Bears making that statement. If this is a leverage play, it might be the most elaborate in modern history. The truth is, this feels real. The Bears have exhausted every avenue to work something out with Illinois, only to be brushed off. Why stay where you’re not appreciated? Pritzker is running out of time to do something.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) high fives fans after their game Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers 22-16 in overtime.
Look let’s be honest for a second. At halftime, you were done. I was done. The entire city of Chicago was ready to throw their remotes through the TV. It was 21-3, Jordan Love looked like a Hall of Famer, and the defense was softer than wet tissue paper.
But then the single greatest 30 minutes in franchise history happened. A 25-point fourth-quarter explosion that didn’t just win a playoff game — it validated the entire rebuild.
How the hell did they pull off the biggest comeback in Bears postseason history? It wasn’t luck. It came down to three specific, game-changing factors that we need to talk about right now: Dennis Allen’s defensive metamorphosis, Ben Johnson’s schematic masterclass, and Caleb Williams activating the clutch gene.
Grab a drink. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the miracle at Soldier Field.
1. Dennis Allen Finally Grew a Pair (and Broke Jordan Love)
For two quarters, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen looked like he was calling plays from a 1990s coloring book. It was conservative, it was scared, and quite frankly, it was embarrassing.
Jordan Love was out there playing 7-on-7 drills. He completed 9-of-12 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. Three. In a playoff game. Do you know how rare that is? Love became just the second Packers QB ever to do that. The Bears were generating pressure on only 18% of dropbacks. It was pathetic.
The metrics from that first half were pure nightmare fuel:
7.2 yards per play allowed (Turnstiles offer more resistance).
3-for-3 in red zone touchdowns (Automatic).
Minimal pressure (Love could’ve made a sandwich in the pocket).
We were watching the defense get methodically picked apart because Allen was terrified of getting burned deep, so he played soft zones that Green Bay ate up with a spoon.
The Halftime “F*ck It” Adjustment
I don’t know what was said in that locker room. Maybe a chair was thrown. Maybe Allen realized his job was on the line (just a joke). But the defense that came out for the third quarter wasn’t the same unit. It was a pack of rabid dogs.
Allen didn’t just tweak the game plan; he took the old one and lit it on fire.
The Blitz Krieg: In the first half, the Bears sent extra rushers on just 31.3% of passing plays. It wasn’t working. So, Allen cranked the dial until it broke.
3rd Quarter Blitz Rate: 62.5%
2nd Half Pressure Rate: 32% (nearly double the first half)
We saw everything. Corner blitzes. Jaquan Brisker flying in from safety like a heat-seeking missile. DeMarco Jackson using hesitation moves that froze linemen just long enough to blow past them.
Visualizing the Shift:
Stat Category
First Half (The Cowardly Lion)
Second Half (The Monster of the Midway)
Blitz Rate
31.3%
62.5% (3rd Qtr)
Pressure Rate
18%
32%
3rd Down Defense
4-for-6 allowed
2-for-9 allowed
Red Zone Trips Allowed
3
0
This pressure surge broke the Packers’ offensive line. They were already missing Elgton Jenkins and Zach Tom, and they simply couldn’t handle the chaos. Love, who looked like a calm surgeon in the first half, suddenly looked panicked. He was rushing throws, missing reads, and getting put on his back.
We have to give flowers to Kyler Gordon. He missed the first two drives, and his replacement, Nick McCloud, got bullied. When Gordon came back in full-time at the slot, the entire personality of the defense shifted.
Was he perfect in coverage? No. Film junkies will tell you he looked “a step slow” trailing receivers. But I don’t give a damn about a half-step when you hit like a linebacker. Gordon attacked the run, blew up screens, and brought a level of violence that the Packers weren’t ready for. With him in the slot, the Bears allowed just 6 yards on 7 carries in the second half. That is absurd.
The Verdict: The Packers didn’t sniff the red zone in the second half. Three consecutive three-and-outs. A five-and-out. It was a complete suffocation. As Tremaine Edmunds put it, “We were giving them different looks… making the offense figure out what we were doing instead of just lining up.”
Matt LaFleur admitted it in his presser: “They’re firing corner blitzes and safety blitzes… multiple occasions where we should have been picked up and weren’t.”
Translation: We got out-coached.
2. Ben Johnson is a Certified Mad Scientist
If Dennis Allen saved the defense, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson orchestrated a masterclass in how to dismantle a defense that thinks they have you figured out.
The second half wasn’t just Caleb Williams running around making magic (we’ll get to him). It was Johnson identifying a weakness in Green Bay’s coverage and hammering it until it broke.
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland. Remember the name, buy the jersey, build the statue.
He finished with 8 catches for 137 yards — the second-most by a rookie TE in playoff history. But it’s how he got those yards that shows Johnson’s genius.
115 of those yards came in the second half. Why? Because Johnson realized at halftime that Green Bay’s linebackers couldn’t cover a corner route to save their lives. He installed a specific concept in the locker room to attack it.
Three times, Loveland ran that corner route. Three times, he was wide open. It requires precision, timing, and protection, but when you have a mismatch like that, you exploit it.
The dagger was the two-point conversion. Johnson called an isolation route for Loveland against Nick Niemann — a Packers linebacker who had played one defensive snap all night. Think about the stones on Johnson. In the biggest moment of the season, he isolated a rookie tight end on a special teamer. Caleb read the leverage, motioned to isolate Niemann, and Loveland cooked him.
ESPN noted, “These isolation routes typically go to star receivers. The Bears called it for their rookie tight end.” That’s trust. That’s coaching.
The “Reckless” Fourth Downs Were Actually Genius
I know, I know. You were screaming at the TV when Johnson kept going for it on fourth down. Six attempts! Two in his own territory while trailing! It felt like panic.
But it wasn’t panic. It was math.
Johnson knew the Bears couldn’t win a shootout if they gave the ball back to Rodgers — sorry, Love — too often. He told ESPN, “The aggressive fourth down mentality had something to do with time of possession… maximizing our possessions.”
He was stealing drives. By going for it, he kept Love on the bench. The Bears ended up winning the time of possession battle by six minutes (32:19 to 26:41).
The 4th-and-8 from the Packers’ 46: This was the season on the line. A punt is a surrender flag there. Instead, Caleb scrambles left, throws a missile to Rome Odunze, and the drive stays alive. That leads to the touchdown making it 27-24.
If they punt there, game over. Johnson played to win, not to lose by less.
The Fake Screen That Ended It
The game-winning touchdown to DJ Moore? That play started in the first quarter.
Johnson called screen passes to rookie Luther Burden all game. It looked repetitive. It looked annoying. But it was bait. He was conditioning the Packers’ defense to sprint downhill the second they saw that formation.
With 1:43 left, trailing by 3, Johnson called the fake. The Packers bit hard. They jumped the screen, leaving DJ Moore streaking down the sideline with the nearest defender five yards away.
“This is simply excellent play calling,” one analyst noted. “Execute the screen effectively several times to entice the defense… Save this strategy for crucial moments.”
It was checkmate.
3. Caleb Williams: The Inefficient, chaotic, Clutch King
Let’s address the elephant in the room. If you look at the box score without context, Caleb Williams looked mid.
24-of-48 passing (50%)
2 INTs
71.6 Passer Rating
The haters are already screenshotting that completion percentage. “Oh, he’s inaccurate.” “Oh, he’s barely a 50% passer.”
Shut up. Watch the tape.
This was the “Caleb Williams Rorschach Test.” If you hate him, you see the inefficiency. If you know ball, you see a quarterback who has ice water in his veins.
The Fourth Quarter God Mode
When the pressure was highest, Williams played his best football. Period.
184 passing yards in the 4th quarter alone.
2 Touchdowns in the final 4:18.
3 Consecutive Scoring Drives of 66, 76, and 66 yards.
He became the third-youngest #1 overall pick to win a playoff game, joining Burrow and Stroud. He now has seven game-winning drives this season. You can’t teach that. You can’t coach that. You either have the gene or you don’t. Caleb has it.
The Deep Ball Transformation
First half Caleb couldn’t hit the ocean from the beach on deep throws (2-of-5, 40 yards, 1 INT). Second half Caleb turned into a sniper. He went 7-of-13 for 166 yards on deep balls.
Why the change? He stopped overthinking. He trusted his arm. The 27-yard laser to Odunze on 4th-and-8 wasn’t a “scheme” throw. That was pure talent — rolling left, off-platform, firing a strike to the sideline. That is the play you draft him for.
Contextualizing the “50%”
Why was his completion percentage so low?
Throwaways: He stopped taking sacks. He threw the ball away to live another down. That kills your stats but saves the drive.
Degree of Difficulty: He threw 13 deep balls in the second half. Those are low-percentage throws by nature.
Fourth Downs: He was throwing in do-or-die situations where defenses are tightened up.
As one analyst perfectly summarized: “Jordan Love’s completion percentage was 66… Jordan Love’s playoff win percentage is 25.0; Caleb Williams’ playoff win percentage is 100.”
I’ll take the win over the completion percentage every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Final Verdict
This wasn’t just a win; it was an exorcism.
The Bears beat the Packers by beating them at their own game: coaching adjustments and quarterback play. Dennis Allen confused Love. Ben Johnson out-schemed LaFleur. And Caleb Williams out-clutched everyone.
The Bears are the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game after trailing by 15+ entering the fourth quarter since… well, since a long damn time. They showed resilience we haven’t seen in Chicago since the Lovie Smith era.
Green Bay collapsed. Their O-line crumbled, their defense got fooled, and they choked. Chicago rose up.
If this is what the future looks like — imperfect, chaotic, heart-attack-inducing, but winning — then sign me up.
The rivalry between Chicago Bears fans and Green Bay Packers fans has always been heated. However, for years it always felt like there wasn’t an edge to it. That changed in a big way this season. For the first time in ages, Packers fans were vocal, taking shots at everybody connected to the Bears organization. Caleb Williams was at the top of the list. He was overrated, soft, inefficient, and nowhere close to Jordan Love. While they’ve enjoyed trolling previous QBs like Justin Fields, Mitch Trubisky, and Jay Cutler, this felt a little more personal.
Why?
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated summed it up beautifully in his recent column. All of it comes from an uncomfortable realization. Williams is the first truly good quarterback the Bears have had in this rivalry in decades.
While Love and the offense sputtered, Williams was sensational in the fourth quarter. He threw two touchdown passes and made plays that few in the NFL can make.
Chicago has a quarterback now with a lot of talent. They’ve had players like that in the past, but none that have approached the level of Williams.
With Saturday’s win, Williams and the Bears have won three of their last four games against the Packers.
In one night, Ben Johnson and Williams equaled the number of playoff wins that LaFleur and Love have in three years together.
That sums it up.
Not only is Williams better than the previous gallery of challengers Green Bay has faced, but he seems to have made it his personal mission to beat the Packers as much as possible. He is 3-2 in his first five meetings against them, and those two losses came down to the last second. Huberd admits this could have long-term ramifications if the Packers aren’t careful.
The Packers need to decide if they’re going to punch back, or if Saturday’s game was a changing of the guard, establishing a new bully in the NFL’s oldest rivalry.
Caleb Williams is proving the theories correct.
The prevailing sentiment among Bears fans over the past 30 years has been that Green Bay’s decisive edge in the rivalry stems from its dominance at quarterback. When you challenge Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers with an assortment of bargain bin castoffs and overhyped bodies, you will lose. It isn’t a coincidence that Detroit suddenly became competitive with the Packers after drafting Matthew Stafford. The same thing is happening for Chicago with Williams’ arrival on the scene. It was apparent even before they added Ben Johnson.
You can sense the feeling of dread creeping up the spines of Packers fans. The winds are shifting. For the first time in over 30 years, it looks like they are on equal footing with the Bears. Their iron grip on the rivalry is slipping. Nothing hurts more than realizing you’ve grown weak. The aura of invincibility is gone. When that happens, people tend to become more sensitive and outspoken. Caleb Williams opened that door last January with his win at Lambeau Field. Now he and the Bears walked straight through it.
You automatically think that when introducing a star free agent will be an easy win for a team, but the Cubs had a unique situation with Alex Bregman. Yes, the third baseman was one of the top players available this offseason, he brings previous success and has a superb reputation inside the clubhouse, where Bregman is considered one of the best leaders in the game. However, Bregman does come to the Cubs with some murkiness in his past, you know, that whole drum-banging thing with the Houston Astros.
Some fans haven’t forgotten, but it’s difficult not to have gotten won over by Bregman on Thursday, when he was officially introduced by the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Yes, it’s almost impossible not to win the press conference, but Bregman didn’t simply say the right things, he’s got the track record to back it up.
After putting on his new Cubs jersey and cap, Bregman shook Jed Hoyer’s hand, sat back down and delivered his first message to the fan base.
“I’m a winning baseball player and focused on winning.”
Alex Bregman says he’s looking forward to bringing a championship to the Chicago Cubs. pic.twitter.com/kyNqM3JtPS
Bregman, who made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2016, played in 49 games during his rookie season. Who knows, maybe a full year would have propelled Houston to the postseason, but since then Bregman has reached the playoffs nine years in a row.
For seven consecutive seasons Bregman and the Astros advanced at least to the ALCS, while making four World Series appearances, winning a championship twice. The two-time All-Star third baseman helped clinch a playoff spot in his one season with the Boston Red Sox in 2025, and now Bregman has another World Series ring as his singular focus with the Cubs.
Alex Bregman on choosing number 3: "I wore number 3 because I wanted a 3rd championship." pic.twitter.com/jxxSXxEV2S
There is often discourse surrounding what it takes to be a winner in sports. Talent alone doesn’t always get the job done and not every athlete is a leader. Sometimes you have to be a little crazy. Not post-CTE Antonio Brown crazy.
During Thursday’s press conference Hoyer gave fans a peek into how Bregman’s mind works. Within a few days of becoming a Cub, Bregman didn’t simply reach out to teammates, he asked for scouting reports on everyone.
Jed Hoyer says Alex Bregman asked for a scouting reports on all his teammates, asked for a meeting with all the minor-league staff in Arizona on hitting philosophies & reached out to his new teammates.
It’s that attention to detail not only about himself, but everyone around him that gives you a glimpse into Bregman’s mentality. It’s that winning attitude that the Cubs have somewhat been missing that Bregman will provide.
I’ll continue to compare the Jon Lester signing to this Alex Bregman deal. World Series or bust, right? That’s the attitude the Cubs should and will have now.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams embrace after a massive win over the Packers in the playoffs.
Lots of people were skeptical that it could work. Yes, on paper, it was a match made in heaven, pairing the absurd athletic talents of Caleb Williams with the strategic and tactical offensive genius of Ben Johnson. However, there was a deeper concern people had that centered around personalities. Johnson was known for being meticulous and detail-oriented. Williams was known for his out-of-structure playmaking. This seemed like a clash of styles that would never work long-term. Everybody saw that with Sean Payton and Russell Wilson.
Fast forward several months, and you never would’ve dreamed their relationship would be as close as it has become. The two became choked up talking about each other following the incredible comeback victory over Green Bay last Saturday. How did we get here? Passing game coordinator Press Taylor provided details to Adam Jahns of CHGO.
“I’ve never been around a head coach/quarterback spending this amount of time together that I know they spend,” passing game coordinator Press Taylor told CHGO. “I’ve talked to Ben about it way back in the offseason – of him and (Lions quarterback) Jared (Goff) doing that when he was the OC – and that’s the way to go.
“Watching their relationship and their understanding, getting on the same page watching things together has been pretty cool. … I don’t know what all the conversations are. We hear bits and pieces of it from either of them, but it’s obviously been great in terms of Caleb’s growth.”
Johnson once again showed his relentless drive.
Rather than ponder if the relationship would work, he put in the extra time necessary to make it work. He wasn’t going to be stubborn about it. Williams was worth the effort. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle believes the approach was spot on.
“I think the amount of time they spend together, the relationship that they’ve built, that’s the most important thing,” offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said recently. “You need the playcaller and the quarterback to be in sync, to be able to think the same way. I think both of them have been very open to learning how each other kind of operates and that takes time. There’s no shortcut to that. There’s nothing fake about that. That’s them being in a room and talking through football.”
Ben Johnson crossed a bridge many coaches aren’t willing to.
Many times, you’ll find that coaches aren’t willing to go the extra mile for a quarterback. It’s their way or the highway. The quarterback must learn to play the coach’s preferred style of football, or he will find somebody who will. That is what happened with Payton and Wilson, as well as Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky. However, there are cases in which a coach was willing to adapt to his quarterback’s abilities. John Harbaugh did it in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson. Tom Landry did it with Roger Staubach in Dallas.
If Ben Johnson wanted to win, he would have to set his ego aside and learn to work with Williams. The best way to do that was to spend as much time together as possible, learning how each other thinks. Once the quarterback had a good feel for his coach’s preferences and the coach understood the quarterback’s playmaking mentality, everything would come together. We’ve seen that unfold in real time over the past four months. Both men deserve credit for making it work.
Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, center, watches from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images
Sean McVay didn’t exactly hide the smile when asked if he’s been on the phone with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur ahead of Sunday’s Divisional playoff game against Chicago.
The Los Angeles Rams head coach was blunt, but playful: “What would you guess? No, you know what — we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.” It was an honest answer, and honestly, a hilarious one.
#Rams HC Sean McVay on whether he’s been on the phone with #Packers HC Matt LaFleur:
“What would you guess? No, you know what — we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.” pic.twitter.com/LsfESmlnoU
What makes the moment even better is the context. The Chicago Bears are now the team everyone is studying, breaking down, and preparing for, not the other way around. For a franchise that spent years chasing relevance, it’s cool to see elite coaches like Sean McVay game-planning specifically for Chicago in January.
“What would you guess? No, you know what — we watch the tape, we do our work, and Matt is a very close friend of mine.”
There’s also a subtle layer here. McVay and Matt LaFleur are close, but it didn’t look like McVay was thrilled with how Bears head coach Ben Johnson handled LaFleur in the Wild Card round. Whether that fuels anything extra remains to be seen, but it certainly adds intrigue.
Still, none of it matters unless the Bears take care of business. You’re at home on Sunday, Soldier Field will be electric, and a win sends Chicago to the NFC Championship Game. Respect is nice. Attention is cool. But now, the Bears have to finish the job.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen watches his defense go through drills during 2025 training camp
A big reason why the Chicago Bears hired Dennis Allen as their defensive coordinator, aside from his obvious qualifications, was the knowledge that other teams wouldn’t come hunting for him as a possible head coach. He’d already held the job twice and wasn’t overly successful either time. That meant the Bears could keep him around for long-term stability. However, it appears nothing is ever that simple. Benjamin Allbright covers the Denver Broncos and is one of the most plugged-in insiders out there.
He had some fascinating information to share. There is a strong belief that Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will become a head coach this cycle, most likely for Arizona. Worse still, Jim Leonhard may also leave for a top defensive coordinator job. This would leave Denver without a clear option to replace them. In that scenario, Allbright believes they will contact the Bears about a potential trade for Allen. He has strong ties to Broncos head coach Sean Payton from their time together in New Orleans.
There’s only ever been one team that has traded for a coordinator (and they immediately made him HC (Belichick)).
That said if the Broncos lose Leonhard to Dallas for their DC job & VJ to AZ for their HC job, could the Broncos try to trade for Bears DC Dennis Allen?
The Bears have loved what the defensive coordinator has managed to accomplish this season. Despite a long list of injuries, limited speed, and a below-average pass rush, they still managed to lead the NFL in takeaways. Allen’s ability to make adjustments was pivotal in the Bears’ epic comeback win over Green Bay in the wild card round. He has more than earned his money this season. So would they actually entertain the idea of trading him if the Broncos came calling with an offer?
As is always the case, it depends on the price. If we’re talking about one or two mid-round picks, no way. That in no way reflects the value Dennis Allen brings. However, if Denver pushes it into the 2nd or even 1st round range, that would certainly give the Bears pause. Opportunities to get extra picks that high are rare. It would entirely depend on how confident Ben Johnson is that he can find another quality coordinator. Initial belief is the Bears will decline the idea, but it’s certainly something to monitor.
Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
In a fitting tribute to his calm under pressure persona, Caleb Williams has been given an ice sculpture along the Chicago River. A photo surfaced online, showing Williams in his No. 18 Chicago Bears jersey, framed by the city skyline. Dubbed the “Iceman,” the display sits outside the Merchandise Mart, quickly drawing fans for photos amid the cold weather.
The nickname fits. Williams has built a reputation as the NFL’s comeback king, leading seven wins this season after trailing in the final two minutes. That included a dramatic 31–27 Wild Card victory over Green Bay. Down 27–16 with five minutes remaining, Williams delivered a clutch fourth-and-8 strike to Rome Odunze, igniting the rally. He finished the game with 361 passing yards and two touchdowns, once again showing he has “ice in his veins.”
Bears head coach Ben Johnson has consistently praised Williams for his poise in big moments. Teammate Luther Burden III coined the “Iceman” nickname back in November, an alias that feels perfectly suited for Chicago’s winters and is quickly becoming iconic.
The ice sculpture will eventually melt, but it raises a bigger question: could Williams one day earn a permanent statue at Soldier Field? Those are for champions. For Williams, that path likely requires a Lombardi Trophy. With the Bears heading into a divisional playoff matchup against the Rams, the Iceman’s legend may only be getting started.
Caleb Williams Leads INSANE Bears Comeback vs Packers
Gov. JB Pritzker is flanked by Illinois Dept. of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello, left, and Morton Mayor Jeff Kaufman during a press conference Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at the Midwest Food Bank in Morton. Pritzker and several state and local officials discussed the Illinois Eats Program and the awarding of nearly $29 million in USDA grant money to food providers across the state.
The Chicago Bears have been trying for three years to gain traction in their efforts to secure funding from the Illinois government for a new stadium. For three years, Governor J.B. Pritzker has been adamant that the organization should take care of the funding itself. These are literal billionaires who intend to build what amounts to a vanity project. Pritzker doesn’t see how any of that benefits the taxpayers. So he maintained a hardline stance, telling the Bears to go it alone.
It appears things have shifted. Following the team’s epic comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers, word leaked that Pritzker is suddenly open to negotiating assistance with infrastructure help. Tahman Bradley, Erik Runge, and Michael Johnson of WGN Morning News had details.
As the Chicago Bears gear up to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in a pivotal NFL Divisional Round playoff matchup, top Illinois lawmakers are keeping in touch with the team about a new stadium.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker addressed the latest talks on Tuesday.
“We help private businesses all the time in the state, and I want to help,” he said. “If it’s with infrastructure, as we do with other private businesses, that’s absolutely a way we could do that.”
For Illinois’ top political leader, taxpayer money to build the stadium is a no-go, but there may be other ways the state could help.
Despite what Pritzker may say, this is a significant shift. He indicated for months that no help would be coming. However, the Bears’ decision to entertain moving to Northwest Indiana and out of the state entirely seems to have gotten his attention.
The Chicago Bears used the nuclear option.
You often find, throughout the history of stadium negotiations, that the most effective way for teams to get concessions from the state is to threaten to leave. George Steinbrenner was famous for it during his long run as owner of the New York Yankees. Part of why the Bears couldn’t get anywhere until now was the likely belief inside the government that they’d never actually consider leaving. That team has been part of Illinois since its inception way back in 1920. There is no way they’d leave.
So you can imagine the Northwest Indiana announcement was a shock. Their government officials have already laid the groundwork to welcome the Chicago Bears to the region. A bill was passed to help fund infrastructure. At this point, all they have to do is pick a location. Pritzker undoubtedly is starting to sense the danger. Does he really want to go down in history as the governor who let the Bears leave Illinois? Based on these latest updates, the answer is obvious.
