The Same-Day Pivot
2026-02-19 · Kevin Warren, President & CEO (Bears)
February 18–19, 2026. On February 18, the Bears met with Governor JB Pritzker for a three-hour session described by the governor's office as "productive." The next day — February 19 — Indiana's House Ways & Means Committee unanimously advanced SB 27 (24-0), creating a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority. The Bears issued a statement calling Indiana's action "the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date." On the same day, the Bears requested cancellation of their own scheduled hearing before the Illinois House Revenue Committee on HB 5500, the Bears stadium tax incentive bill. No Bears representative appeared at the rescheduled Illinois session. The sequence: productive Illinois meeting Feb 18 → cancel Illinois hearing Feb 19 → praise Indiana Feb 19.
What he said
[February 18, 2026 — Pritzker-Bears meeting, Chicago]
Bears CEO Kevin Warren and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker met for approximately three hours. Pritzker's office described the session as "productive."
[February 19, 2026 — Morning: Indiana SB 27 passes Ways & Means 24-0]
[February 19, 2026 — Bears statement via NFL.com and multiple outlets]
"We appreciate Indiana's step forward with Senate Bill 27. This represents the most meaningful efforts in our stadium planning efforts to date."
[February 19, 2026 — Same day: Illinois House Revenue Committee hearing on HB 5500 CANCELED at Bears' request]
Per reports: the Bears requested the Illinois hearing be postponed. No Bears representatives testified or appeared. The hearing was never rescheduled before the Indiana bill reached final passage.
[Pritzker statement, February 19–20, 2026]
"I was surprised — and I want to be careful here — I was surprised, dismayed, and very disappointed."
Pritzker also noted the Bears' statement praising Indiana was "not some confirmation that they're moving to Indiana" — but acknowledged he did not know the Bears were going to say it.
The fact-check
- "This represents the most meaningful efforts in our stadium planning efforts to date." — Misleading
- The Bears canceled their own Illinois hearing on the same day they praised Indiana as "most meaningful." A CEO who just had a productive three-hour meeting with a sitting governor does not cancel that governor's follow-up legislative hearing unless he has chosen a direction. The two actions together tell a clearer story than either does alone.
- "[February 19, 2026 — Same day: Illinois House Revenue Committee hearing on HB 5500 CANCELED at Bears' request]" — Misleading
- The Bears requested this hearing themselves — it was their own Illinois legislative vehicle. Canceling it the day Indiana advanced is not a scheduling conflict. It is a choice. No rebooking occurred.