The Chicago Bears are the NFL's third-oldest franchise and second-longest lasting in one city. But after over 105 years in the Windy City, the Bears seem to be inching closer and closer to leaving.
On Thursday, Indiana Governor Mike Braun said that the state government had identified "a promising site" within the state for the Bears to move to. He added that the impending Senate Bill 27 will open the door for the team to finalize that move.
Shortly afterwards, the Bears released a statement praising Governor Braun and stated that they are ready to move to Indiana once the financial support for such a move is finalized.
The Big, Bad Joke
To say that the news has gone over poorly with Bears fans and even many Indiana residents would be an understatement. Indiana residents feel that Governor Braun is not doing enough for them and is now planning on using their tax dollars to support an NFL team, while Bears fans are simply frustrated with the entire ordeal:
"The Chicago Bears moving to Indiana would be a joke," one user remarked on X.
"Well, damn. Staying in Chicago has been dead for years, but this is shocking. Already tired of the Indiana or Hammond or Gary Bears references," wrote another.
"It is disappointing that the Bears won’t be playing in Chicago or even Illinois," a third wrote.
"Don’t love this for Chicago."
"Illinois really put up no fight to keep the Bears, none at all."
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
It's a sad situation for Bears fans, but the silver lining is that they're not moving across the country. Hammond, Indiana is a 35 minute drive from Chicago without traffic. Theoretically, the Bears don't even have to rebrand.
As much as Bears fans may be annoyed by this move they're hardly unique in this regard. The Arizona Cardinals, the NFL's oldest franchise by a wide margin, have moved and rebranded multiple times since their founding in 1898, and have changed cities twice since the league was founded in 1920.
The New York Giants and New York Jets don't even play in the same state as the one their team represents.
And let's not even talk about how annoyed fans still are about the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams or even the Tennessee Titans leaving their original homes have been for years.