Tag: Soldier Field

Elton John concert leaves Soldier Field turf in rotten shape

Soldier Field did not look like it was ready for NFL teams to play on its turf

The Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears played at Soldier Field to open the preseason on Saturday.

The turf looked more like a golf course after a 72-hole tournament.

To say there were divots would be kind. Place the blame on Elton John if you are looking for a fall guy.

The rock star played at Soldier Field last week and fans did a number on the field as John played his number of hits.

The turf issue was noticed by Chicago kicker Cairo Santos long before kickoff.

Per Chiefswire:

“Especially Week 1, our first game of the season — I’ve seen better,” Santos said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s just what we have to deal with. The less of a problem you make it in your mind, it helps you overcome it and just go.”

Santos told reporters that the conditions of the turf are so consistently bad that he actually sought out a similar playing surface in the offseason while he was training in Florida. That seems like a pretty damning statement, and a problem the Bears should probably work to address.

“I was going to a turf field at a high school, which was perfect,” Santos said. “It was almost like, ‘OK. I’m getting too comfortable.’ So in my neighborhood, there’s a soccer field and the grass is a Bermuda grass. It’s real long. I was like, ‘OK. This is more like it.'”

Soldier Field’s grass was in horrendous shape for the Bears-Chiefs preseason game and NFL fans couldn’t believe it

Is it even safe to play on that field?

The poor playing surface at the Bears’ home stadium, Soldier Field, has been documented quite well. It’s no secret why the Bears want to build their own stadium in Chicago suburb Arlington Heights, even as the city tries to pressure them into staying in their current home digs.

In the past, there have been many egregious examples of why the city of Chicago and its Park District are no longer the ideal stewards for the stadium where a professional football team plays. (Even in the video game Madden!) But the appalling condition Soldier Field was left in for the Bears and Chiefs (-1) preseason game on Saturday might take the cake:

Oh my goodness. There’s no way that brown and yellow concoction masquerading as “grass” is safe for any athlete to run around on. I mean, that confetti on the field might be from an Elton John concert … that happened over a week ago! And no one cleaned it in the time since?

Suffice to say; I can see why the Bears will soon likely be saying goodbye to this yellow brick road known as Soldier Field. You can’t plant them in your “penthouse,” Chicago.

Bears kicker Cairo Santos trains at poorly-maintained Florida parks to simulate Soldier Field’s horrendous turf

This man is not getting paid NEARLY enough.

Very few things are going well for the Chicago Bears and their players or their much-maligned stadium these days.

But one thing they’ve been able to count on over the past couple of years is the reliability of their kicker, Cairo Santos. In 2020 and 2021, the veteran maintained a minimum of a 96.4 make percentage. He’s missed six total kicks on 62 attempts. Basically, Santos is as money as it gets when a ball’s been long-snapped to him.

As it turns out, Santos has had to go the extra mile to excel that much as the Bears’ kicker. In a report by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, Santos said that he actually trains at poorly-maintained public parks in Florida during the offseason just so that he could be prepared for Soldier Field’s awful turf.

Uh, what?

I’m sorry, but you’ve lost the plot as a football organization (really, the Chicago Parks District) when your kicker is forced to actively train on terrible fields to prepare for his home stadium. It boggles the mind that a professional football team could play on such a shoddy surface.

But then again, everything the Bears do these days boggles the mind.

Bears’ rookie Jaquan Brisker was surprised to see Soldier Field look respectable: ‘It doesn’t look good on Madden’

Those video game pixels can be deceiving!

There haven’t been a ton of great developments concerning Soldier Field lately.

First, the city of Chicago unveiled confusing new plans for the Museum Campus. Then, with the Bears planning to leave Soldier Field and build a new stadium in suburban Arlington Heights in the near future, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot tried to pressure the franchise into staying in their current home digs. How? Her administration revealed a vision for a potentially costly makeover. (Our Blake Schuster tore those plans and ambitions apart in a terrific in-depth look at the stadium’s history and grounds.

With all of that in mind, it seems Bears rookie Jaquan Brisker is at least one person who is a fan of how the current Soldier Field looks. Which, to be clear, wasn’t originally the case for him.

In a Wednesday post-practice press conference, Brisker noted that he didn’t like initially seeing the famed lakefront stadium in the video game Madden.

Any native Chicagoan will tell you the same: The “Space Bowl” looks awful from afar (and apparently while pixelated!) and a lot better when you can put your eyeballs on the real thing.

It looks like Brisker’s already acclimating to his new team and city quite well.

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Chicago’s dubious history of trying to keep the Bears at Solider Field shows why the NFL franchise must leave

Give the park back to the public.

In October 1910, architect and city planner Daniel Burham spoke to colleagues at a conference in London. This was a year after he published 1909’s Plan of Chicago—a manifesto that would shape the city for the next century and come to be known as the Burnham Plan. But that plan hadn’t been enacted yet. Only proposed. Burnham was still selling his grand ambitions for a city reduced to smoldering ash 39 years earlier in the Great Fire, providing what became the default defense for extravagant projects to follow. 

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized,” Burnham said, according to the ​​Chicago Record-Herald. “Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency.”

Uttered some 4,000 miles and an ocean away, Burnham’s words became an unofficial mantra in Chicago, trotted out every time some politician unveiled their newest agenda. It was pure and simple advertising. Better than anything Madison Avenue could come up with and almost insulting by nature: The only ones who could disagree were those who couldn’t dream big enough. 

These days, the spirit of Burnham’s words is no longer used to promote civic pride or enhance Chicago for its residents, but to rob them of the very ideals that formed the framework of his plan. The latest proposed renovation of Soldier Field to placate the Chicago Bears is the greatest example yet. It’s revolting. It should infuriate anyone who calls the city home. And whatever power Burnham’s “no little plans” speech still holds over Chicagoans should be met with Monorail-jingle skepticism.

An ambitious plan to re-think Soldier Field feels big and noble, but it is, we now know, folly. Especially when the perfect use for the lakeside arena already exists, one Burnham himself envisioned and generations of activists have fought to defend. But the Bears must leave to enact it and Chicagoans should welcome their departure. 

The city has done more than enough to spur the private franchise’s wealth with little return (certainly not many championships). The more Chicago offers to change Soldier Field, the more they insult those who will inevitably pay for it.  

To understand why striving to keep the Bears in a home they no longer want makes no sense at all, we need to dive deep into the history of the place and the team that would unexpectedly become synonymous with it.

Everything we know about proposed Soldier Field renovations to keep Bears in Chicago

Here’s a quick breakdown of the proposed renovations to Soldier Field, which includes options should the Bears stay or go.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot shared the city’s proposed renovations for Soldier Field with the attempt of keeping the Bears at Soldier Field rather than build a new stadium in Arlington Heights.

“An improved Soldier Field will deliver a world-class visitor experience,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Furthermore, any of these proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine for Chicago for years to come, as these changes will allow us to keep bringing sports, music and other exciting events to our city.”

The Bears have a lease with Soldier Field that expires after 2033, but they could opt out in 2026 for an $84 million penalty and make a move to Arlington Heights. At this point, it seems like that’s the most feasible option. The team agreed to purchase the 326 acres of land at Arlington Park last fall for more than $197 million. But the deal won’t be finalized until as early as 2023.

Still, the city is trying its best to keep the Bears in Chicago. Lightfoot made it clear that there are renovation options whether the Bears decide to stay or go. But the intent is to keep the Bears at Soldier Field.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the proposed renovations to Soldier Field, which includes all three options, renderings and whether the Bears would even entertain the idea of staying at Soldier Field.

Bears remain focused on Arlington Heights despite Chicago’s plans for Soldier Field

Despite Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed plans for Soldier Field, the Bears remain focused on Arlington Heights.

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The city of Chicago has been dialing up the Hail Mary this week in an effort to keep the Bears from moving to suburban Arlington Heights.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed the city is prepared to take steps towards improving Soldier Field, including looking into the feasibility of installing a dome, making renovations inside the stadium, improving access, and even re-designing the entire museum campus to make gamedays more inviting for fans.

But it appears those attempts have been futile and the Bears are still fully focused on the land they purchased in Arlington Heights last year.

In a statement first obtained by Christopher Placek of the Daily Herald, the Bears reiterated their desire to fully vet the former site of the Arlington International Racecourse and not entertain renovations to their current stadium:

The only potential project the Chicago Bears are exploring for a new stadium development is Arlington Park. As part of our mutual agreement with the seller of that property, we are not pursuing alternative stadium deals or sites, including renovations to Soldier Field, while we are under contract.

The Bears entered into an agreement with Arlington Park last fall, agreeing to purchase the 326 acres of land for more than $197 million. The deal won’t be finalized until 2023 at the earliest, however. Since entering into an agreement, reports have been slow to come out about the team’s progress in evaluating the land, but have continued to do their due diligence in exploring possible stadium options.

Though the team is seemingly putting all their eggs into the basket in the northwest suburbs, their statement didn’t shut the door on renovations or reimagined plans if the deal were to fall through. It seems highly unlikely, but if the Bears were unable to to finalize the purchase for Arlington Park, they could go back to the city and work with them to make the laundry list of renovations to the lakefront property.

The Bears’ lease with Soldier Field expires after 2033, but the team could opt to break it in 2026 for a penalty and bolt to Arlington Heights in just a few years. Lightfoot and the city are doing what they can to keep the charter franchise of the NFL in Chicago, but like so many Bears games in recent memory, it appears a loss is imminent.

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Chicago’s new Museum Campus vision includes the Bears staying put and, uh, Katie Holmes?

So. Many. Questions.

Anyone who has visited town or even just seen a picture of Chicago’s lakefront knows what a truly magnificent and unique feature it is.

Nearly untouched by real estate developments, the city’s front yard instead boasts world-class museums, stunning views, historic architecture and is home to Soldier Field and the Chicago Bears. Well, at least for the time being.

The Bears, you see, are sick of hosting games in the NFL’s smallest stadium. City park burdens and a lack of upgrades have left them few options, and it appears a move to suburban Arlington Heights could be on the horizon. The city of Chicago, understandably, doesn’t want the team to go anywhere.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s latest gambit to help persuade the Monsters of the Midway to remain along Lake Michigan was revealed on Thursday, and it’s probably not going to wow the Bears as much as she’d like.

The city unveiled a new vision for the Museum Campus—which, admittedly, could use a tune-up—and made sure to highlight just how much the Bears and Soldier Field are apart of that plan in some very, very strange renderings (and they don’t even include the separate city proposal to put a dome over Soldier Field).

See anyone familiar in those mock-ups? Look closer.

Why, yes, that is Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri causally strolling about the generically named Museum Campus Famers Market outside Soldier Field!

No, we absolutely don’t have a clue why a 2012 image of the two shopping in New York made it into an official Chicago presentation.

In fact, Chicagoans are just as confused as the rest of us.

Jay Cutler doesn’t want to see the Bears move out of Soldier Field

The former Bears quarterback isn’t a fan of the team potentially moving out of Chicago and into the suburbs.

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.

30 Most Important Bears of 2022: No. 29 Cairo Santos

Our 30 Most Important Bears of 2022 series continues with Cairo Santos, who finally provides stability at the kicker position.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the 2022 NFL season, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. There are a number of players, coaches and front office members that are crucial to the team’s success this season.

Every day from now until the start of training camp, we’re counting down our 30 most important Bears for the 2022 season. We’ll recap their 2021 season, look ahead to 2022 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Up next is Cairo Santos, who finally provided some stability at the kicker position over the last couple of seasons.