NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the leadership of the state’s General Assembly on Thursday, adding another wrinkle to the Chicago Bears’ long-running pursuit of a new home.
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Goodell → meet → home
The Bears said in August that the franchise’s “sole focus” for the construction of a new stadium and mixed-use development was on Hammond, Indiana.
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focus → say → Hammond
But the public confirmation of the conversation between Goodell and Pritzker indicates that Illinois remains in the mix.
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Illinois → indicate → mix
The Bears also had been considering Arlington Heights — about 30 miles northwest of Chicago — as a potential location for an enclosed stadium.
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Bears → consider → stadium
Illinois Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Kam Buckner joined Pritzker at the meeting.
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Welch → join → meeting
As the president pro tempore of the Illinois Senate, Cunningham frequently serves as the body’s presiding officer, and Buckner’s district includes Soldier Field — the current home for the Bears.
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district → serve → Bears
Pat Ryan, a billionaire minority investor in the Bears and a member of the team’s board of directors, also attended.
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Ryan → attend → directors
“The Governor’s Office has remained in conversation with the Bears about their plans in Illinois throughout the summer,” Pritzker’s office said in a statement.
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office → remain → statement
“The Governor and General Assembly leadership were glad to participate in a productive meeting focused on keeping the Bears in Illinois and protecting taxpayers.”
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Governor → participate → taxpayers
The NFL said in a release that it appreciated the opportunity to meet with Pritzker and the state legislators.
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it → say → Pritzker
“Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans,” the league said.
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league → work → club
A message was left by The Associated Press seeking comment from the team.
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message → leave → team
The Bears, a charter NFL franchise, have played in Illinois since the team’s founding in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys.
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Bears → play → Staleys
They moved to Chicago in 1921 and called Wrigley Field home before they started playing at Soldier Field in September 1971.
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they → move → September
The Bears’ lease runs through 2033, but they can pay a fee to break the lease early.
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they → run → lease
The Bears ramped up their focus on Indiana after a proposal to provide financial incentives for the team to build its new home in Illinois stalled in the state legislature.
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team → ramp → legislature
A committee in the Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill in February that established a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium.
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that → pass → stadium
The Illinois Senate passed a bill that would have cleared the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium.
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Bears → pass → stadium
But the House adjourned without taking up the measure on the last day of the state’s spring legislative session.
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House → adjourn → session
The Bears have been pursuing a new home for years, but the process has been hampered by repeated twists and turns.
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process → pursue → twists
The team announced in September 2021 that it had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights.
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it → announce → Heights
The $197 million deal with Churchill Downs Inc. was finalized in 2023.
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deal → finalize → 2023
In September 2022, the team unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that called for an enclosed stadium that could host Super Bowls and Final Fours.
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that → unveil → Bowls
The conceptual illustrations also provided for a year-round entertainment district with restaurants and shopping.
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illustrations → provide → restaurants
But the Bears shifted their focus toward building a new stadium next to Soldier Field after Kevin Warren was hired as team president in January 2023.
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Warren → shift → January
The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson but a tepid reception from Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.
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it → transform → April
The team switched gears again in May 2025, announcing it had made “significant progress” with local leaders in Arlington Heights.
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it → switch → Heights
Amid lingering efforts to secure tax incentives in Illinois, along with as much as $855 million in public money for infrastructure at the Arlington Heights site, the Bears began to take a closer look at possible options in northwest Indiana.
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Bears → linger → Indiana
Warren said in August that the team was “in regular, almost daily communication with the state of Indiana working on” the project.
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team → say → project
He called it “an excellent deal, a win-win partnership together.”
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He → call → it
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
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Maaddi → contribute → report
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