Rich Eisen, NFL analyst, asks if the Bears could move to Indiana: “This would be a bummer, there’s no other way to put it”

The saga over where the Chicago Bears will build their next home just kicked into high gear. Indiana lawmakers have taken a major step that could see the historic NFL franchise relocate to Hammond, Lake County, Indiana—setting off political shockwaves in Illinois as the legislative clock winds down.

Indiana’s House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Senate Bill 27, a move designed to pave the way for the Bears to relocate to the state’s northwest corner.

The proposal would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority, granting it the power to issue bonds, purchase land, and finance construction. Minutes later, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston revealed that the Bears are prepared to invest $2 billion in a new stadium near Wolf Lake.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott couldn’t hide his excitement, calling the opportunity “a once‑in‑a‑generation chance.”

But not everyone is so enthusiastic. “Are the Bears going to be the Indiana Bears? Is that really happening” asked Rich Eisen on his podcast. “Did they buy a racetrack in Arlington Heights, raze it to the ground and then say, ‘Basically, yeah, we’re gonna go to Indiana’.

Bears’ statement catches Illinois offguard

“And is the state of Illinois just saying, ‘We’re gonna let you go’?" Eisen added, then quoted lines from a statement which the Bears released on Thursday.

If passed, the SB27 legislation would “mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana”.

“Hey Illinois,” Eisen continued. “We’ve got a foot out the door... So could the state of Illinois have zero football teams and the state of Indiana have two NFL teams? First of all, the Jets and the Giants are currently the only NFL teams that don’t play in the state that bears their name. No one else moved to a different state!

“This would be a bummer there’s no other way to put it. When you go to Soldier Field and you see the skyline, it’s right there. There’s no way to make this work in that spot?! And this is no offense - we’re going to Indianapolis next week, it’s awesome, and the people in Indianapolis are awesome and they love their football, it’s great. And I’m sure that people in northwest Indiana would roll out a red carpet but... it’s the Chicago Bears,” he concluded.

Despite Indiana’s momentum, the relocation is far from settled. The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033, and negotiations remain active on both sides of the state line.

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