The Chicago Bears are focused on starting their 2025-26 campaign with a bang, as they welcome in the Minnesota Vikings for a much-anticipated edition of Monday Night Football. Though, before head coach Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the squad prepares to finally usher in an era of change in the Windy City, team president and CEO Kevin Warren informed season-ticket holders of the organization's grand plan for future residence.
The Bears are reiterating their commitment to building a new, fixed-roof stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois. If the project goes through as the shot-callers hope, then the venue could potentially host the Super Bowl in 2031, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. While there were initially attempts to renovate Soldier Field, the franchise is instead targeting a new location that it believes will appeal to a larger share of its fan base.
“Moving outside of the city of Chicago is not a decision we reached easily,” Warren writes. “This project does not represent us leaving, it represents us expanding. The Bears draw fans from all over Illinois, and over 50 percent of our season-ticket holders live within 25 miles of the Arlington Heights site. The project provides us the opportunity to build a new stadium and mixed-use development that will benefit our fans, our region, and our future together.
“Most importantly, the new stadium will elevate the fan experience with easy access, whether by Metra train directly to the site or a short drive with ample parking and tailgating, creating a vital connection between Chicago and the broader Cook County community, ensuring every fan feels at home.”
Is it time for the Bears to get a fresh start?
There are still a couple of obstacles to clear, but Warren and the Bears appear as confident as ever in the Arlington Heights blueprint. Soldier Field is approaching 101 years of existence, and while there have been thrills and shrills shared in that NFL battleground, many fans do not think it can house the team for much longer under its current condition. If the Bears are unable to remodel this historic institution, then there may not be a better alternative than the one proposed.
There are plenty of detractors who abhor the idea of watching their team play football inside a dome, but maybe they will come around. The Bears intend to fund the construction without state money, which is something that certainly has people' attention. Sometimes, change is necessary. It remains to be seen how the city reacts to this ongoing development. Attention is fixed on the 2025-26 campaign at this time, however.
Chicago is trying to get its current field in order before it clashes with its divisional rival at 8:15 p.m. ET. If the Bears are going to have a new home, they might as well leave their old one on a high note. This squad has a few years left to do that, but Monday night is a good time to start.
