Bears Have 'Exhausted' Chicago Stadium Options, Planning Move to Illinois Suburbs or Indiana

The Chicago Bears announced Thursday in a statement that they are no longer exploring options for a new stadium within the city of Chicago.

In a statement provided to the Associated Press (h/t NFL.com), the team said, "The Chicago Bears have exhausted every opportunity to stay in Chicago, which was our initial goal. There is not a viable site in the city. As a result, the only sites under consideration are in Arlington Heights and Hammond."

Arlington Heights is an Illinois suburb located about 25 miles from downtown Chicago, while Hammond is a city in Indiana located about 30 miles from Chicago.

The Bears' home venue has been located within the city of Chicago for essentially the entire existence of the team.

Founded as the Decatur Staleys, the franchise played two seasons in Decatur, Illinois, before relocating to Chicago in 1921 and playing at Wrigley Field until 1970.

Soldier Field has been the home of the Bears since 1971 with the exception of one year at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, in 2002 while Soldier Field underwent renovations.

While Soldier Field is an iconic stadium, it is the oldest active venue in the NFL by far, and the Bears are in search of a more modern home. Team president Kevin Warren told reporters last month that the organization's goal was to choose a site for a new, enclosed stadium by late spring or early summer.

Warren called both Arlington Heights and Hammond "excellent sites" for the project.

While the Bears' future home remains unsettled, the organization appears to be on the right track from an on-field perspective for the first time in years.

In their first season under head coach Ben Johnson in 2025, the Bears went 11-6, reached the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and won the NFC North for the first time since 2018.

The Bears also won their first playoff game since 2010, as they defeated the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round.

With Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, the Bears have a bright future ahead of them regardless of where they play their home games in the future.