Urlacher Blames Illinois Democrats for Bears' Planned Move to Indiana
Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, who anchored the Chicago Bears defense for 13 seasons, has blamed Democratic leadership in Illinois for failing to prevent the franchise from pursuing a relocation to Hammond, Indiana. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Urlacher said state and city officials should have done whatever was necessary to keep the team, expressing particular frustration that proposed public infrastructure support and property tax legislation never passed the Illinois General Assembly.
"I just don't see how as a state, legislator, governor, city mayor, how you can let this team leave the state of Illinois, or even be a topic of discussion," Urlacher said. "You do what you have to do to keep the Bears there." Illinois lawmakers this year failed to pass legislation that would have provided the property tax certainty and public infrastructure funding the Bears required to begin construction on a new stadium. The team had previously explored a site in Arlington Heights, Illinois, purchasing land there before shifting focus to the Hammond option.
Urlacher drew a pointed contrast between the state's spending on migrant and immigration services and the absence of public support for a stadium project. He cited a figure of between $2.5 billion and $3.2 billion allocated by Illinois for migrant services, healthcare, and support between 2022 and the end of 2025, as reported by the Illinois Public Policy Institute. "That money could be for the Bears - not for the Bears, but trying to keep their stadium in town, instead of keeping people that aren't supposed to be in our country here," Urlacher said. He was also specifically critical of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, saying flatly that Pritzker had not done enough to keep the franchise when asked directly.
The Bears have played at Soldier Field on Chicago's lakefront since 1971, making them one of the longest-tenured tenants at a single venue in NFL history. The stadium is owned by the Chicago Park District, meaning the Bears do not control revenues generated on non-game days - a structural disadvantage Urlacher acknowledged as central to the team's financial case for leaving. "They do not own Soldier Field," he said. "All the money that they make on Sundays, some of it goes to the city, some of it goes to the Bears. I think financially it would be more beneficial for them to go to Hammond." Indiana, he added, was offering materially better terms than Illinois had presented. Despite his frustration, Urlacher said he expected Bears fans to follow the team regardless of location. "Their games are going to sell out no matter what," he said. "If it's in Arlington Heights, Soldier Field or Hammond, they're going to sell out no matter where they go."
On the field, Urlacher expressed optimism about the franchise's direction. He praised head coach Ben Johnson and said second-year quarterback Caleb Williams - the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft - had developed significantly. "His skill set is kind of unmatched with the way he runs, the way he throws the football," Urlacher said. Williams led the Bears to the NFC Wild Card Playoffs following the 2025 regular season, their first postseason appearance in several years. Urlacher said he does not believe in the so-called Madden curse after Williams was named to the cover of the video game's latest edition, calling it "a great honor" for the young quarterback.
