Roger Goodell met with Illinois lawmakers to discuss new Bears stadium

Roger Goodell met with Illinois lawmakers to discuss new Bears stadium.

Key points

• Brian Urlacher breaks down the impact Ben Johnson created in his first year with the Chicago Bears.
• NATE DAVIS: Advice to Chicago folks who think Bears won't leave: Look around the NFL Opinion.
• "We want to make sure that Arlington Heights and Illinois have an opportunity, as well as Indiana, to put their best foot forward."
• Goodell's session with lawmakers seems significant, yet he downplayed that involvement and characterized it as a normal part of NFL business.

Roger Goodell met with Illinois lawmakers to discuss new Bears stadium. Jarrett Bell USA TODAY. Brian Urlacher on Ben Johnson impact in first year with Bears.

According to ATLANTA – Roger Goodell, he lately met with select lawmakers in Illinois to assist in efforts for the Chicago Bears to finalize intends to build a new stadium.

Yet the NFL Commissioner offered no clues regarding whether those meetings indicated that the Bears – who have a standing offer to move to a site in Hammond, Indiana – are any closer to closing the door on the chance of building in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where the team additionally owns land.

Of course, this decision was projected to be finalized weeks ago, but an Illinois bill that could incentivize the Bears to move to Arlington Heights has yet to produce it to the floor for a vote that could determine the team's course of action. What Roger Goodell remarked concerning Bears new stadium.

"There's no specific timetable from my standpoint, other than we know that they are looking at the alternate groups, Indiana or Arlington Heights, " Goodell remarked to journalists after team owners met at an airport hotel. "We want to make sure that Arlington Heights and Illinois have an opportunity, as well as Indiana, to put their best foot forward."

"I'm involved in a lot of stadium efforts, " he remarked. "It's not unusual for me to be involved in conversations with either public authorities or others. Or our staff. There are significant decisions, not just for the communities but for teams and the NFL. So these are significant things for us."

And even though Bears chairman George McCaskey and team president Kevin Warren have lately reiterated publicly that they are focused on the project to move the team to Northwest Indiana, there are no shovels in the ground yet – especially with the team and league continuing to dance in Illinois. Follow Bell on X: @JarrettBell. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around roger Goodell met with Illinois lawmakers to discuss new Bears stadium point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.