By Illinois Review
The real possibility that the Chicago Bears could move to Indiana is no longer political theater. It is a direct result of failed leadership in Springfield, according to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Appearing on Thursday on Laura Ingraham’s prime time Fox News show, Blagojevich blasted Gov. JB Pritzker, calling him a “Nepo-baby Bolshevik Billionaire” who is “pandering to the crazy left wing.”
Earlier in the day, Blagojevich posted on social media: “We need a new QUARTERBACK in Illinois. Governor Pritzker – who eats like a bear but throws like a girl—just turned the ball over. Outplayed by the governor next door, our beloved CHICAGO BEARS are about to move to Indiana. This would have never happened when I was governor!”
During his interview, Blagojevich doubled down.
“Our nepo baby billionaire governor just got outplayed,” he said. “Pritzker was outplayed because his priorities are all wrong.”
Blagojevich pointed to what many Illinois families already feel.
“He’s raised taxes and fees more than 50 times,” he said. “He’s spent nearly $3 billion on illegal immigrants. Nearly a million people have left Illinois since he’s been governor.”
Blagojevich even mocked Pritzker’s athletic ability, making Ingraham laugh.
“Pritzker doesn’t know anything about sports. I’ve seen him throw a football,” Blagojevich said. “He throws it like my younger daughter Annie. Instead of a spiral it flip flops and turns over and over. Kinda like a non athlete who he is.”
The remarks come as serious momentum builds in Indiana.
On February 19, Indiana’s House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved a key amendment to Senate Bill 27, creating the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority. The measure would pave the way for financing, land acquisition, and construction of a new domed stadium in Hammond near Wolf Lake, just across the Illinois border.
The Bears have committed roughly $2 billion of their own money toward the project. Indiana officials, including Gov. Mike Braun, are aggressively courting the team and promoting the move as a pro-growth opportunity.
In a statement, the Bears called Indiana’s action “the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date.”
Meanwhile, Pritzker appeared stunned during a Thursday media availability, saying he was “disappointed” and suggesting the team’s statement was not a final decision.
But Illinois’ track record tells a troubling story.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by the Illinois Policy Institute, 218 businesses left Illinois in 2023 alone. That followed a peak of 260 in 2022 – triple the pre-pandemic average.
Major companies have fled. Boeing moved its global headquarters to Virginia. Caterpillar relocated to Texas. Citadel shifted operations to Florida. Tyson Foods shut down its Chicago office.Now the Bears may join that list.
Their lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. But time is ticking.
The message is clear. High taxes, rising crime, and left-wing politics are driving jobs and opportunity out of Illinois.
If the Bears cross state lines, it will not just be a sports story. It will be another warning sign that Illinois families – and now iconic institutions – are losing faith in Democrat leadership.
Blagojevich says it best: Illinois needs a new quarterback.
Right now, Indiana is winning.
