The days of the Chicago Bears calling Soldier Field home aren’t over yet, but they’re likely dwindling as news continues to leak out that they’re inching closer to finalizing a deal to move to suburban Arlington Heights.
While most fans appear to be in favor of the change in location, one prominent former Bears player doesn’t want to see the team move away from the lakefront.
Former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler joined ESPN 1000’s Waddle and Silvy on Thursday afternoon and in between promoting his participation in the American Cornhole League tournament in Bedford Park, he reminisced about his time in a Bears uniform at Soldier Field and made it clear he doesn’t want them to move. “I don’t know if they’re going to move out, if they’re actually going to do that, but I hate that they’re going to be leaving the city at some point. It sucks.” Cutler said. “In the city, Soldier Field, you’re on the lake. I remember driving into the city and thinking ‘alright this is cool…’ It was just a cool atmosphere of being in the city of Chicago, in the winter playing there. It just had an atmosphere and a vibe to it.”
Cutler did admit the situation between the Bears and the stadium isn’t ideal considering they don’t own Soldier Field, it’s one of the smallest stadiums in the league, and they’re not able to make many renovations, but he still doesn’t want the the team to move into the suburbs. “They shouldn’t leave the city of Chicago,” He said emphatically.
The Bears’ all-time leading passer might appreciate his old home, but he didn’t exactly have a stellar career on the lakefront. He went 28-26 during his tenure with the Bears at Soldier Field, including the postseason from 2009-2016. But like many fans, he enjoys the tradition of football on the lakefront, including the notion of “Bear Weather” and playing in the elements. “It’s homefield! Leave it open.” Cutler said when asked about a new stadium potentially having a retractable roof in the winter.
Cutler may not get his wish as the Bears continue to do work on the Arlington International Racecourse land they purchased last fall, but they aren’t expected to make a final decision until 2023 at the earliest.