Brian Urlacher Has One Demand For The Bears’ New Stadium
Brian Urlacher was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2000 and retired in 2013. That entire 13-year run was spent at Soldier Field. It was his NFL home. The place where he built his Hall of Fame career. One would imagine he has emotional ties to the building. That is true, but only to a certain extent. Something about Urlacher that is rarely appreciated enough is his pragmatism. The guy always understood the business side of the game.
That is what made his answer about the idea of the Bears leaving Soldier Field so interesting. He appeared on Uncut with Jay Cutler to talk about his career, the Bears, and the current state of football. His former QB asked the question point blank. Urlacher explained that he understood the decision. A new stadium means more money. The organization has every right to improve its financial prospects. However, he did have one demand of the Bears.
Brian Urlacher still understands Chicago at its core.
One of the things that always made the Bears iconic was getting to watch them play in November and December. That was when the weather would get bad, winds would howl off Lake Michigan, and snow would sometimes blanket that turf. The weather could be a huge advantage for the team in the right circumstances. Putting the Bears in a dome would immediately negate that. Not to mention it would make viewing them too much like so many other teams in the league.
Plenty of fans agree with Brian Urlacher on this. They feel the team can expand the seating, modernize the experience, and make it a great venue without needing a dome. The Patriots, Giants, and Commanders all rank among the most valuable franchises in the NFL. All play in colder weather cities with no domes. Hosting Super Bowls and making it a year-round attraction sounds nice. In reality, such benefits wouldn’t come around often.
Keeping some of the identity that makes the Bears a must-see attraction would be best. Outdoor football is part of it.