Chicago Bears Reveal Surprising New Relocation Candidate

The Gary Bears? 

Chicago’s NFL team got social media buzzing late Wednesday with an open letter regarding its attempts to find a long-term stadium solution.

After previously declaring a desire to leave the city for the suburbs, the team's president suggested it might not even stay in Illinois.

Team President Suggests Surprising Candidate 

Kevin Warren, the team president and CEO of the Bears, published an open latter detailing issues the team is having with trying to finalize a move from downtown Chicago to Arlington Heights in the suburbs. 

An open letter from President & CEO Kevin Warren regarding our stadium project ⤵️

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 17, 2025

Since teams and municipalities often clash over stadium issues, that was not too surprising. 

What did catch the world off guard was Warren mentioning another potential destination if the club leaves Soldier Field, the ancient stadium on Lake Michigan it has called home for more than 50 years.

“Earlier this season, we shared that Arlington Heights is the only location in Cook County that meets the requirements for a world-class NFL stadium,” Warren wrote, referring to the county that contains both Chicago and Arlington Heights. “We still believe it offers the best and only path forward in Cook County given there are no other viable alternatives. Over the past several years, we have worked in good faith with Illinois leaders and made clear our commitment and readiness to invest more than $2 billion by the Chicago Bears, one of the largest private investments in state and NFL history.”

Warren said the team has not asked for taxpayer funds to build a new stadium but does require a public commitment for “essential local infrastructure” including work on roads, utilities and site improvements. 

That is “more than typical for projects of this size,” according to Warren. 

The team also wants “reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing” but says it has not been able to forge a partnership with legislative leaders. 

Instead, they have indicated the Arlington Heights project “will not be a priority in 2026.”

Therefore, the Bears could look elsewhere — including leaving their home state. 

“Consequently, in addition to Arlington Park, we need to expand our search and critically evaluate opportunities throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana,” Warren wrote. “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. Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day. With that in mind, our organization must keep every credible pathway open to deliver that future.”

A Long History in the Windy City

The Bears were founded in 1920 and along with the Cardinals are one of only two of the NFL’s original members still in operation. 

They were originally the Decatur Staleys but moved to Chicago in 1921. 

Wrigley Field was the home of the Bears until 1971, when they moved to Soldier Field. That has been their home field ever since except for 2002, when they played at the University of Illinois in Champaign while Soldier Field underwent extensive renovations. 

Warren’s mention of Northern Indiana may have caught many in the sports world off guard, but many commenters on social media had a similar reaction to the idea of the Bears moving to Gary, steel town and the largest city in Indiana’s Lake County. 

THE GARY INDIANA BEARS https://t.co/Ro7ThH8kO5 pic.twitter.com/ElFt7kZk8c

— Frank Calabrese (@FrankCalabrese) December 17, 2025

Gary Indiana Bears pic.twitter.com/igxs2fbOXF

— MrBillSD (@MrBillSD) December 18, 2025

Despite Warren’s declaration, “this is not about leverage,” only time will tell how serious this threat turns out to be. 

An NFL team playing in a different state than its title city is not unheard of.

The New York Jets and New York Giants both play in New Jersey while the Washington Commanders play in play in Landover, Md.