Earlier this month, the Chicago Bears' board of directors voted to advance plans to relocate from Soldier Field to Hammond, Indiana. While most fans are upset that the decision threatens more than a century of team identity, a franchise legend offered a far more pragmatic view of the relocation.

“I gotta be honest with you,” Mike Singletary said on the Up & Adams show. “Whether it's Chicago, the suburbs, or Indiana, as long as they win, they’re always going to be the Bears.”

Singletary emphasized what Papa Bear Halas (founder of the Chicago Bears) used to say, i.e., “Win. Wherever you are, win. You’re going to be the Chicago Bears.”

He also stressed “coach’s mentality” regarding the situation, suggesting that the team’s identity is defined by winning rather than any specific location. 

Singletary was asked about his thoughts on the new stadium that’s proposed to have a dome. He acknowledged the tradition of playing in Chicago's cold weather but understood the management perspective of needing a dome to host year-round events, not just limited to the NFL, and to increase revenue.

Adams added that the Chicago Bears have the oldest fanbase, which is also the reason the fans are taking time to adapt. She asked the Hall of Famer about the one thing that the Bears need to preserve in this move. 

“I think it's the tradition, everything that Papa Bear Halas envisioned the Bears to be,” replied Singletary. He identified the core tradition of a “tough, competitive football culture” as the most essential element, one that he’s followed during his NFL days. 

Mike Singletary was the second-round pick of the Chicago Bears during the 1981 NFL Draft. Throughout his 12-year journey with the Bears, he started 172 out of 179 games, becoming the second among defensive players in franchise history to do so. 

Singletary registered 10 Pro Bowls, eight All-Pros and All-NFC every year from 1983 to 1991. He was also the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988. Samurai Mike, as he was nicknamed, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

During his appearance on the show, the legendary linebacker also revealed who his first pick would be if there was a redraft of the entire NFL.

NFL Legends Picked Patrick Mahomes Over Caleb Williams

When Adams asked about the re-draft, Singletary chose the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but was quick in adding the Bears QB Caleb Williams to the conversation.

"Hands down, I'm going to take Patrick Mahomes every day of the week. But Caleb Williams is in that mix," Singletary said.

Singletary explained that Mahomes has the leadership qualities, and the legend sees a lot of Mahomes' abilities in young Williams.

"At the end of the day, when Patrick gets in the huddle, they listen. When things are down, they listen," Singletary added. "To me, that's respect. That means that kid is working hard. He's leading the way."

Mahomes was drafted in 2017 and has been in the league for nine years. Caleb Williams, by contrast, was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Draft and starts his third year in the league.

What are your thoughts on the stadium move and the comparison between Mahomes and Williams? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Naomi Grace

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore