👋 Good morning!
Saturday might be the biggest Bears game at Soldier Field in more than a decade.
Nothing like it when the first-place Bears and those ever-pesky, second-place Green Bay Packers get together.
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to talk about the team’s future stadium plans…
This Is The Story That Never Ends
Bears CEO Kevin Warren posted an open letter to fans regarding the team’s plans to develop a new stadium on Wednesday night.
Buckle up.
And They’re Off: What happened to breaking ground in Arlington Heights? It’s been almost three years since the Bears closed on the purchase of the 326-acre plot formerly host to Arlington International Racecourse.
In May, the Bears announced that they’d narrowed their focus exclusively to Arlington Heights, saying they’d made “significant progress” with leaders in the northwest suburb. They were looking forward to working with “state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality.”
In his open letter from Wednesday, Warren said: “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.”
Warren added: “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.”
What’s Next? I don’t think anybody knows the answer to that question right now. In the meantime, the Bears will expand their search for the right place to move.
Warren said: “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.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker later released a statement through a spokesperson that said: “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.”
I can’t say I’m stunned.
This isn’t the first time the organization has leveraged a pivotal and popular moment for the franchise to draw attention to its stadium crisis.
They unveiled the renderings of a potential development on the lakefront shortly before taking Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. It made headlines again when the team went abroad to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
It popped up most recently before the Bears hosted the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football to kick off the Ben Johnson era.
It’s all a game. That’s my take on it.
The Bears are not moving to Northwest Indiana — at least I really don’t think they want to move to Northwest Indiana.
Sorry to disappoint, Greg Braggs Jr.; it’s an idea that logistically just doesn’t make any sense when considering the location of the team’s recently renovated facility in Lake Forest, nearly 60 miles (and $13+ in tolls if you’re taking the Skyway) from any feasible NWI location.
I think the bigger takeaway from the open letter was the team’s willingness to abandon Cook County.
That said, it’s worth mentioning that in the most comparable situation, the New York Giants’ practice facility is directly next to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while the Jets’ facility is almost 30 miles away — deeper into New Jersey.
Anyways, it’s still Packers Week. Let’s act accordingly.
Oh — before I forget, running back D’Andre Swift (groin) was added to the injury report on Wednesday, and receivers Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle) did not practice.
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Bulls 127, Cavaliers 111: Even if it’s for a team not worthy of getting your hopes up, this was a refreshing change of pace from what’s transpired since the Bulls’ 5-0 start.
Coby White led the Bulls with 25 points. Josh Giddey picked up his sixth triple-double of the season, scoring 23 with 11 assists and 11 rebounds. Tre Jones added 11 points off the bench, also picking up 11 assists with a team-leading three steals.
The Bulls’ defensive effort forced 20 turnovers — one shy of the Cavaliers’ season high set last month against the Memphis Grizzlies. It was the most by a Bulls’ opponent since the Brooklyn Nets turned it over 21 times on December 3rd.
Full Staff: The White Sox announced their entire major league staff under second-year manager Will Venable for the 2026 season on Wednesday. In addition to previously announced members, the Sox also hired Bobby Hearn as the assistant pitching coach, Jose Leger to coach first base and outfield, Chris Denorfia as major league field coordinator, Bennett Markinson as bullpen catcher and Tony Medina as a major league assistant.
Not now, Carm.
📺 CHGO Bears
1:00 on YouTube
📺 CHGO Blackhawks
Pregame at 5:30 on YouTube
🐻 Brick x Brick
6:00 on YouTube
🏒 Blackhawks at Canadiens
6:00 on CHSN
📺 CHGO Blackhawks
Postgame on YouTube
📺 CHGO Cubs Related
8:00 on YouTube
Something on your mind? Rate this issue and leave a comment, question or topic to discuss!
Talk to you tomorrow!
– P.N.
