Blago from the top rope.
The Chicago Bears are one step closer to leaving Chicago – and the state of Illinois altogether – after lawmakers in Indiana advanced a bill this morning that would help clear the way for the team to build a new stadium in the neighboring state.
The bill passed by the state House Ways & Means Committee would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds and finance construction for a new Chicago Bears stadium in Hammond, Indiana, about 50 minutes from downtown Chicago.
And while the Bears haven’t announced any official plans yet, they made it clear in a statement that they’re serious about the move to Indiana:
“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date. We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.
We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”
The potential move comes as the Bears have been attempting to work with the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois for years to build a new stadium to replace the aging Soldier Field. The team has said that they’re committing $2 billion for their new home, but were seeking around $855 million in tax breaks and public funds from Illinois for a new stadium in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.
When Illinois wouldn’t agree to the funding, the Bears began looking at surrounding states, finding momentum with Indiana in nearby Hammond.
Of course the news that the team could leave Chicago and the state of Illinois altogether doesn’t sit well with Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker. After the announcement, the governor expressed his disappointment
“We mostly agreed on a bill that would move forward this morning. They asked us not to move forward because they wanted to tweak some items on the bill. I have to say it’s very disappointing to hear that they would put that statement out but not say anything about the advancement that’s been made in the state of Illinois. We’re waiting to hear what the Bears would like to do next.”
So Illinois refused to work with the Bears, the team found a nearby state who would, and now that the team called their bluff, it sounds like Pritzker is panicking that they might actually move out of state and wants to play ball now. Does that about sum it up?
Well after the Bears made clear that Pritzker and the state of Illinois fumbled the ball, former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich took aim at his successor (and fellow Democrat) in a hilarious way.
Of course everybody remembers Blago, who was famously removed from office after being caught making comments about wanting money in exchange for the Senate seat that opened up when Barack Obama was elected president. The governor was convicted on public corruption charges and sentenced to 14 years in prison before ultimately having his sentence commuted by President Donald Trump in 2020. (He was later given a full pardon by Trump in 2025).
The former governor (who’s absolutely hilarious) is now a free man, and may or may not be weighing a jump back into politics, based on his most recent message to Pritzker – which included some hilarious trolling:
“We need a new QUARTERBACK in Illinois. Governor Pritzker-who eats like a bear but throws like a girl-just turned the ball over. Outplayed by the governor next door, our beloved CHICAGO BEARS are about to move to Indiana. This would have never happened when I was governor!”
Gotta admit, “eats like a bear but throws like a girl” is just a hilarious line.
Who knows if Blago would have really been able to keep the Bears from leaving (and it’s still possible that the team gets something worked out that will keep them in Illinois), but it’s pretty clear that Illinois leadership has fumbled the whole process – and now the governor has a (pardoned) criminal making hilarious fat jokes at his expense.
Just a tough day all around for Pritzker.
