Illinois' Pritzker does not think Chicago Bears want to move to Indiana

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker does not believe the Chicago Bears wish to relocate to Indiana, he stated on Monday during an agriculture event in Shirley. Despite the NFL team's announcement in June of plans to construct a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana, Pritzker doubts the Bears' intentions to make the move. The Bears have been engaged in negotiations with Illinois lawmakers over a potential agreement to keep the team in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb since 2021.

However, the state legislature failed to pass a bill to solidify the deal, and the Bears announced their intention to build the stadium in Hammond despite concerns about the site's proximity to hazardous waste drop sites. Pritzker expressed hope that a deal could still be reached to retain the Bears in Illinois, but Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey claimed the move to Indiana was "too late" to prevent.