The Hall of Fame linebacker warns about a feature that would undermine the Bears' competitive advantage.
The Chicago Bears have been in the middle of new stadium buzz this offseason.
The lease at Soldier Field expires in 2033, but there is an early buyout option for 2026.
The two favorites for the team to move have been Arlington Heights, which would still be in Illinois but away from the iconic venue, and Hammond, Indiana, which would take the team outside their home state.
The Bears wouldn't be the first team to not play in their home state. The New York Giants and New York Jets play their home games in New Jersey, but leaving Soldier Field would be hard for fans who have had so many great memories there.
Modern NFL stadiums are moving towards adding a dome to their roofs to make games more enjoyable during the cold winter months.
Bears Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher believes that no matter where the team moves, a dome will be on their next stadium. On a recent episode of "This is Football," Urlacher sat down with Kevin Clark to talk about the impending move.
He noted that he wasn't a fan of the Bears leaving Illinois for Indiana, but understood why it was a viable option since the franchise doesn't own Soldier Field. One thing that he was firm on was that the Bears should stay away from adding a dome wherever they move next.
He believed that adding a dome would take away from the Bears' advantage of playing in the cold.
“I do not like the Bears playing anywhere but Soldier Field,” Urlacher said. “Even if they went to Arlington Heights, which is in Illinois, they’re going to be in a dome, and if they go to Indiana, they’ll be in a dome. I don’t like the idea of them playing in a dome anywhere. It’s the only advantage the Bears have. You go to Soldier Field in November, December? It’s gonna suck. The weather is not gonna be good. You’re not gonna like it. And playing there, you practice in it, you get used to it, there’s some advantage to that.”
If the Bears go against putting a dome at their new stadium, they wouldn't be the only ones. The Buffalo Bills had the same idea with their Highmark Stadium in New York.
It's hard to envision a scenario where the Bears stay at Soldier Field, but they still need to have the cold weather be a factor for opposing teams.
