The Chicago Bears seemed close to leaving Illinois a few months ago. Now, however, discussions are underway to keep the team in the state, with Chicago still among the possible locations for a new stadium.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league officials joined Bears owner George McCaskey, team president and CEO Kevin Warren, and Illinois legislative leaders for a meeting in Chicago earlier this week. They agreed to keep working on legislation that could help the team build in Arlington Heights or possibly within Chicago.
The talks mark a shift from the Bears’ August announcement that Indiana was their “sole focus” for the stadium project. The team says it is still working with Indiana officials on plans for a stadium and mixed-use development in Hammond, where it is reviewing two sites near Wolf Lake.
At the same time, the Bears said they welcomed Illinois leaders’ efforts to explore legislation and expected further discussions with both states in the coming weeks. The team said it wanted to consider every available option and pursue a project that could bring major events, jobs and economic growth to the Chicago area.
Illinois lawmakers had not previously offered the tax and infrastructure assurances the Bears wanted, prompting the team to look to Hammond. On June 5, 2026, the team’s board voted to advance the Indiana proposal, describing it as a project that could transform the region.
In August, Warren said the team was focused on developing a stadium and mixed-use project in Hammond, calling Indiana’s proposal an excellent deal. The Bears have not publicly walked back that position, and their latest statement says work on the Hammond sites is continuing.
Still, the renewed talks suggest the team is willing to hear Illinois out, even as the stadium decision remains unsettled. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said this week that lawmakers are preparing legislation aimed at keeping the Bears in the state.
Pritzker said the state has been working with the Bears, Arlington Heights and Chicago to consider where the team might build and what legislation could support the project. He expects lawmakers to take up the measure during the veto session, which runs from mid-November into early December. He added that the state’s role is to create an option that works for the team, while the Bears will decide where to build.
