The Chicago Bears began their quest to build a new stadium back in 2022. However, it became apparent there was a problem right from the start. Governor J.B. Pritzker was not in any way interested in negotiating with them on the subject. He maintained that the Illinois state government would not allocate taxpayer money to fund a multibillion-dollar vanity project for a franchise that was still paying off its lease on Soldier Field. It was such that Pritzker would barely even engage on the topic. Every attempt by team president Kevin Warren to establish a productive dialogue was stonewalled.

When it became clear to the Bears that no stadium discussions would take place in Springfield next year, Warren was left with no choice. He would need to find alternatives. That includes reopening the search for a new home, including the prospect of relocating to a different state entirely. Warren stated in a public announcement that Northwest Indiana would be included among the options. It’s an open secret that the state is seeking to attract major sports franchises to expand its business reach. They’re ready to roll out the red carpet.

Apparently, this new development finally got a reaction from Pritzker, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“Suggesting the Bears would move to Indiana is a startling slap in the face to all the beloved and loyal fans who have been rallying around the team during this strong season,” Pritzker spokesman Matt Hill said in a statement to the Tribune. “The governor’s a Bears fan who has always wanted them to stay in Chicago. He has also said that ultimately they are a private business that makes their own decisions, but the governor has also been clear that the bottom line for any private business development should not come at the full expense of taxpayers.”

The Chicago Bears would always need to try something drastic.

History says that true progress on stadium discussions often doesn’t happen until the ownership of a franchise decides to threaten leaving the state. This just happened recently with the Buffalo Bills. The Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even the Pittsburgh Steelers have used that playbook. All eventually got the stadium support they were looking for. Part of the problem with Pritzker is that he likely felt certain there was no way the McCaskey family wanted to leave the state, or had the capability of doing so.

This announcement is the first real sign that neither of those assumptions might be true. It is clear Indiana is more than ready to welcome the Chicago Bears and is prepared to offer support. Warren being able to say all of that publicly means it’s been cleared with ownership. This is a threat Pritzker can’t ignore. Chicago hasn’t lost a professional franchise to relocation in 75 years. It would be a black eye on his tenure as Illinois governor. While his intentions might be in the right place, the war of public perception threatens to shift in the Bears’ favor.

That leaves him two options: risk calling their bluff or return to the negotiating table.

The Chicago Bears are on the doorstep of the playoffs for the first time in five years. There are many reasons for this. However, it starts up front. No group on their roster improved more this offseason than the offensive line. While Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson have been revelations on the interior, it’s the evolution of Darnell Wright at right tackle that has many who played or coached in the league buzzing. He isn’t just a talented former 1st round pick anymore. He’s become a genuine star.

AQ Shipley played in the NFL for a long time. He worked with a lot of good tackles and watched even more. He has been closely following the progress of the Bears’ offensive line all season and considers them one of the best in the league. Much of the credit for that goes to Joe Thuney. The future Hall of Fame guard has been everything promised and more since the Bears traded for him. However, Shipley explained on The Pat McAfee Show that Wright might now be the best right tackle in football.

The numbers don’t lie with Darnell Wright.

He has played 512 pass-blocking snaps this season, allowing just 17 pressures on the quarterback. Only one of those games saw him give up more than two, and that was against Micah Parsons in Green Bay. The only right tackle who has given up fewer pressures is Penei Sewell (15). If that weren’t enough, he’s also the sixth-highest graded run-blocker at tackle in the league. The Bears have run the ball behind him or around his end 105 times this season. They have 541 yards and three touchdowns in those situations. That is 5.15 yards per carry.

Shipley already showed some of his tape. This isn’t something where great coaching has masked an otherwise average player. Darnell Wright is the real deal. He’s validating that 10th overall pick the Bears spent on him in 2023. He has become a cornerstone for their offensive line and should be in line for a lucrative contract extension in the near future. Credit must go to GM Ryan Poles for recognizing the ability and the willingness to take a chance. One must not forget that many thought Wright was overdrafted.

Apparently not.

The Chicago Bears started their push for a new stadium in 2022. Team president Kevin Warren has repeatedly promised that his goal was to get shovels in the ground by 2025. Well, the year is almost over, and it’s clear that it’s not happening. However, the bad news continues to come for the team president. Apparently, the Illinois state government has told the Bears that their stadium project won’t be a priority in 2026 either. This leaves the franchise in an uncertain limbo as they search for a new home.

It appears Warren and the McCaskey family have reached their breaking point. The team president released a statement on Wednesday for Bears fans. In it, he explained all the reasons behind the stadium’s delay. There is no question that he blames the state government, especially Cook County, for the failures. As a result, the Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium site, and this time they’re considering places not just further away, but out of the state entirely.

The frustration is impossible to miss.

With two regular season home games remaining, we are focused on building a championship organization worthy of you.

The same standard has guided our work on a new world-class stadium. Earlier this season, we shared that Arlington Heights is the only location in Cook County that meets the requirements for a world-class NFL stadium. We still believe it offers the best and only path forward in Cook County given there are no other viable alternatives…

…We have not asked for state taxpayer dollars to build the stadium at Arlington Park. We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure (roads, utilities, and site improvements) which is more than typical for projects of this size. Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing. We listened to state leadership and relied on their direction and guidance, yet our efforts have been met with no legislative partnership…

…We have not received that sense of urgency or appreciation to date. We have been told directly by State leadership, our project will not be a priority in 2026, despite the benefits it will bring to Illinois.

Consequently, in addition to Arlington Park, we need to expand our search and critically evaluate opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana. This is not about leverage. 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. Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. 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 Chicago Bears were always going to face the impossible.

Anyone who has lived in Illinois for a long time understands one thing. The politics are on a level of greed and corruption unseen almost anywhere else in the country. There is no way the Chicago Bears would’ve been able to get a stadium proposal through without greasing every palm imaginable. It is why George Halas never got it done during his many years as the owner. Illinois also has the second-highest property taxes among every state. Conversely, Indiana ranks 31st. The allure isn’t hard to see.

Besides, state government officials have been making a big push to reshape the region around Gary, Indiana, for years. A great way to do that is by luring big-name sports franchises there. The Bears would be a golden goose as one of the most lucrative organizations in American sports. Besides, it’s not like this is unprecedented. Plenty of teams don’t play in the states or cities they’re named for. The New York Giants and Jets play in New Jersey. The Washington Commanders play in Maryland. It would be a common practice for the Bears.

Kansas City Chiefs fans were overjoyed to get Matt Nagy back in 2023. He’d been their offensive coordinator before and felt like the perfect replacement for Eric Bieniemy, who’d left for Washington. Chicago Bears fans had tried to warn them that this move would have consequences. Perhaps not immediately, but in the future, Nagy’s lack of true offensive prowess would come back to haunt the Chiefs. Sure enough, Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 this season, and its underachieving offense was the primary reason for it.

Patrick Mahomes had the worst season of his NFL career, throwing just 22 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and an 89.6 passer rating. The quarterback tearing his ACL as the team was knocked from the postseason picture appears to have been the final straw. Chiefs fans are out for blood, and the one name all of them are looking to is Nagy. Stats are being revisited, and it’s dawning on them that the decline started right around the exact time the coordinator arrived three years ago.

The Bears’ decision to dump Matt Nagy is finally vindicated.

They gave him every opportunity to build on what he started in 2018. Unfortunately, the former head coach was unable to make his own decisions. Assistant coaches got in his head that Mitch Trubisky was a waste of time despite his encouraging Pro Bowl season that year. Rather than stand up for his young quarterback, Matt Nagy took the advice as gospel, alienating Trubisky and plunging the Bears right back into the depths of uncertainty at the position. Then, just for good measure, he pushes to draft Justin Fields the year before getting fired.

Nagy has essentially coasted on that one season, seven years ago, when an elite defense carried him. Since then, it’s been nothing but mediocrity. That Super Bowl victory in 2023, when he returned to Kansas City, was much the same. He didn’t do anything but hitch a ride to a wagon that was already at full speed. Once he started making decisions on how to drive it, things started going wrong. Nagy may keep his job because Andy Reid is a loyal guy, but it’s evident the bloom is off the rose either way.