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Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher is not happy about his team leaving Soldier Field.
“I don’t like them leaving Soldier Field,” Urlacher told Fox News Digital. “I can’t picture them playing anywhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s Indiana or somewhere in Illinois, I can’t picture them leaving Soldier Field.”
Urlacher placed blame on Democratic leaders in Chicago and Illinois for the planned relocation to Hammond, Indiana. This year, Illinois lawmakers failed to pass legislation providing the property tax certainty and public infrastructure funding the team required to build a new stadium.
“I just don’t see how as a state, legislator, governor, city mayor, how you can let this team leave the state of Illinois, or even be a topic of discussion,” Urlacher said. “You do what you have to do to keep the Bears there.”
The NFL Hall of Famer is particularly bothered by the lack of legislation to keep the Bears amid the state’s sanctuary policies that offer taxpayer-funded resources to illegal immigrants.
“You look at all the money they’ve given to illegal immigrants and the money they’ve set aside for that, it’s like $2.5, $3 billion that they’ve spent on the illegal immigrants. That money could be for the Bears, could be trying to keep them, not for the Bears, but trying to keep their stadium in town, instead of keeping people that aren’t supposed to be in our country here,” Urlacher said.
The State of Illinois was projected to allocate and spent between $2.5 billion and $3.2 billion on services, healthcare and support for migrants and illegal immigrants from 2022 to the end of 2025, according to a report by The Illinois Public Policy Institute.
The Bears have explored options outside their longtime home at Soldier Field, including Arlington Heights and, more recently, a possible move across state lines. Urlacher said Illinois officials should have found a way to keep the franchise from even considering Indiana.
“The fans, we have some of the best fans in the world for any sport,” he said. “If I was those guys, I would probably do what I had to do to keep them in the state of Illinois. Maybe not at Soldier Field, because that was already off the table, but they had Arlington Heights planned out. They have the land bought already. Find a way to keep them there, and they have — they just don’t care.”
Urlacher was especially critical of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s handling of the situation.
“Obviously not. They’re leaving,” Urlacher said when asked whether Pritzker had done enough.
Still, Urlacher understands that the team’s relocation makes sense financially, and will benefit the organization on certain fronts.
“Illinois is not giving them anything tax-wise. They’re not giving them a good deal on their stadium,” he said. “So Indiana’s offering them something better than what Illinois is, so why not go down to the great state of Indiana?”
He added that the team’s ability to control its own stadium would be a major advantage.
“Business-wise, it makes sense, because they’re going to make more money, because they do not own Soldier Field,” Urlacher said. “All the money that they make on Sundays, some of it goes to the city, some of it goes to the Bears. What that divvy is, I don’t know. But I think financially it would be more beneficial for them to go to Hammond.”
Urlacher is only somewhat familiar with the Hammond area. He had been to the casino there “a couple times” when he played. Still, he said Bears fans would follow the team.
“Anywhere the Bears go, they’re going to have their fans,” Urlacher said. “Their games are going to sell out no matter what. If it’s in Arlington Heights, Soldier Field or Hammond, they’re going to sell out no matter where they go.”
Urlacher backs President Trump and Jaxson Dart
Urlacher also spoke glowingly about President Donald Trump, saying he supports the president’s actions.
“Anything that President Trump does, I’m on board with,” Urlacher said. “Everything he’s done so far has been great, so just keep it up.”
Asked whether Trump should try to intervene to keep the Bears in Chicago, Urlacher said he was unsure whether that was something the president could influence.
“I don’t think he has that — I mean, he probably has all the power in the world,” Urlacher said. “He could do that if he wanted to, but I don’t know if that’s in his realm or not.”
Urlacher said Trump is “smart about everything he does business-wise” and “a pretty sports-savvy guy,” but added that his words may carry more weight in Indiana than Illinois.
“He’s probably excited they’re going to Indiana,” Urlacher said. “It’s a great state, big red state, so tax-wise it’s going to be great for the Bears.”
Urlacher also said he was excited to attend the UFC fight at the White House.
“I love America,” Urlacher said. “I think our country’s going in the right direction. Things are getting cleaned up.”
Urlacher also weighed in on athletes facing criticism for political involvement.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart was recently criticized by liberals for introducing Trump at a New York rally in May.
Urlacher called Dart an “awesome kid.”
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“If someone asks you to introduce the President of the United States, I think you have to take, uh, that opportunity and do it. I mean, he did a good job,” Urlacher said.
“He got a lot of heat for some reason…a few years ago somebody introduced Obama, and it wasn’t a big deal for some reason, but someone does it for Trump, it’s a huge deal… The media just runs with these things, and they make them a bigger deal than they are.”
Urlacher said he would have introduced any president during his playing career.
“Hell yeah, I would have,” Urlacher said. “But politics weren’t a big deal when I played. No one cared back then. It didn’t become a big deal till 2016 when everyone made you choose a side.”
Urlacher said he would not have cared if one of his teammates introduced former President Barack Obama.
“He’s the President of the United States,” Urlacher said. “Go ahead.”
Urlacher speaks out against trans athlete in girls’ sports
Urlacher also addressed the debate over transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports, saying he has followed the issue “very closely.”
“I think that males should compete against males and females should compete against females,” Urlacher said. “I don’t think that either should be allowed in the other sports.”
Urlacher said he would not want his daughters or future grandchildren competing against biological males.
HALL OF FAMER BRIAN URLACHER REITERATES STANCE ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN SPORTS: ‘COMMON SENSE’
“I don’t want my daughters playing against men,” he said. “If I have grandkids, I don’t want them competing against men either. They should play against women. We’re different. We’re built differently. That’s just the way it is. That’s biology.”
Urlacher accused Democrats, including Pritzker, of siding with the progressive wing of the party on the issue.
“That’s something that they’re trying to push on that far-left side of that party, and they’re really sticking to it,” Urlacher said.
Urlacher excited about Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson and Bears’ future
Despite his concerns about the franchise’s stadium situation, Urlacher said he is optimistic about the Bears on the field.
He praised new head coach Ben Johnson and said the Bears’ young quarterback, Caleb Williams, is a major reason for excitement.
“Ben Johnson’s done a great job since they hired him,” Urlacher said. “I think he wanted it because of Caleb. You see why now. The kid’s been unbelievable.”
Urlacher said Williams’ growth from his first season to his second has been “pretty awesome,” and he believes the quarterback will continue to improve as the Bears build around him.
“His skill set is kind of unmatched with the way he runs, the way he throws the football,” Urlacher said. “A lot of guys can run the ball, but they don’t throw it as well, or they throw it really good, but don’t run it as well. He’s got both.”
Urlacher also dismissed any concern over Williams appearing on the cover of Madden.
“I do not,” Urlacher said when asked if he believes in the Madden curse. “What a great honor for him to be on there.”
American Century Championship remains a summer highlight
Urlacher also discussed one of his favorite annual events, the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.
“Our summer is scheduled around this event every year,” Urlacher said. “Tahoe’s beautiful, but the three days of competition playing against other guys in other sports and acting and all that stuff is a lot of fun as well.”
Urlacher said the tournament’s fan atmosphere adds to the pressure.
“The golf. The competition,” Urlacher said when asked about his favorite part of the event. “Golf’s hard, but you get people watching you, it gets even harder.”
Urlacher joked that his main goal is simple: beat former MLB player Kevin Millar.
“We have a side bet,” Urlacher said. “We’re very similar in handicap, so he’s the guy I want to beat.”
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