Last week, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun told WTHR that the state was progressing with speed with the Chicago Bears to start a building a new stadium in the Northwest corner of the Hoosier state.
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“They’re seriously looking at other options,” Braun said of the Bears. “So, if everything keeps progressing at the speed at which it has over the last week or so, we’ll see. So, we’re going to do everything to make it happen.
“There are a lot of things that could come into play between consummating it and so forth, but now they are seriously looking at other options. So, we’ll see what happens.”
Some Illinois state lawmakers didn’t think Bears CEO Kevin Warren was seriously considering moving the franchise to Indiana. However, more evidence has surfaced that the team could move east.
Per Hannah Adamson and WGN News, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently took a trip to Northwest Indiana to tour potential sites for a new Bears stadium.
Via Adamson:
“JUST IN: Per @WGNNews: ‘We were able to confirm with someone close to the negotiations that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in NW Indiana touring potential sites for the new stadium.’
“Governor Braun has pushed for the @ChicagoBears to relocate to Northwest Indiana.”
JUST IN: Per @WGNNews: “We were able to confirm with someone close to the negotiations that @NFL @nflcommish Roger Goodell was in NW Indiana touring potential sites for the new stadium.” @GovBraun has pushed for the @ChicagoBears to relocate to Northwest Indiana.@FOX59 |…
— Hannah Adamson TV (@Hannah__Adamson) January 12, 2026
Northwest Indiana was not the only territory Goodell explored with the Bears in recent days.
Are the Chicago Bears using Indiana as a smokescreen?
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Per Paris Schutz of Fox 32, Goodell, Warren and Bears chairman George McCaskey toured Arlington Heights on Sunday, hours after Chicago beat the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in the wild-card round.
“Bears are flying high after last night’s stunner – but there’s still the business of a new stadium to attend to,” Schutz wrote. “Here’s NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Bears President Kevin Warren and Chairman George McCaskey walking the Arlington Heights plot.
“Is Indiana a smokescreen?”
It would be idea for the Bears to stay in Illinois. However, the state has made it clear tax relief is more of a priority for voters than helping aid the team with supporting infrastructure and tax subsidies in 2026.
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