"Soldier Field f***ing sucks" - Bears fans appalled after kicker compares team's stadium to poorly maintained parks
The saga of whether the Chicago Bears will stay in their city or move to Arlington Heights continues. This time, it has to do with the playing conditions at Soldier Field.
Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos recently spoke about his offseason training. Santos said that in order to mimic the conditions of his home field's playing surface, he finds "poorly maintained parks" in Florida, where he resides.
“I was going to a turf field at a high school, which was perfect. It was almost like, ‘Okay, I’m getting too comfortable.’ So in my neighborhood, there’s a soccer field, and the grass is Bermuda grass. It’s real long. I was like, ‘Okay, this is more like it.' The ball flies different. It’s not super even all the time. It’s important to put yourself in that situation.”
It's no secret that Soldier Field's playing surface can be a nightmare to play on, especially for kickers. At the start of the season, the sod is usually well-maintained. Nonetheless, following Santos' comments about how he practices, Chicago Bears fans were angrier than ever.
Soldier Field grass in midseason form— https://t.co/do8bSa10bI
Some fans called calling for a new stadium to replace Soldier Field, which opened in 1924. While the history of the stadium is rich, the playing conditions aren't ideal for the team.
Soldier field fucking sucks. I desperately want them to move to Arlington heights if need be. twitter.com/JasonLieser/st…
@JasonLieser The Bears are the worst run organization is sports.
@JasonLieser @AndrewSiciliano I absolutely do not understand this aspect of the NFL. Multi Billion Dollar teams and we have Texas High Schools with better playing fields. They should take a plow to Washington’s field as well. Just embarrassing.
@JasonLieser By grass you mean the mud they spray paint green?
@JasonLieser The org is letting the field go so they can gain support of their horrible dome idea or to help them move out of Chicago. This is the same playbook SF ran before they got approved for the Santa Clara sun trap. Pathetic.
@JasonLieser A total disgrace for an NFL team. They need to move. The bears are worth 4.8 Billion, and they will make their players play on a pitch, not worth of a high school.
@Chicagosports09 @JasonLieser Lmao this franchise is turning into such a joke, they’re turning into the new Browns.
@JasonLieser downfall of someone else paying the landscaper. Build your own stadium!
soldier field is so awful that bears kicker cairo santos has to find shitty local fields to practice on https://t.co/olVRZhRFuW
The training that Santos is doing seems to be working. In 2021, he made 93% of his field goals. His stats at home and on the road were identical.
The new stadium, however, will be located in Arlington Heights, outside the city. There are also rumors that, if a new stadium were constructed, it would be built with a dome to help shield fans and players from the harsh Chicago winter conditions.
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Just last month, Soldier Field renovation plans were announced. Will these be enough to bring the conditions of Soldier Field up to par and keep the Bears in the city? It remains to be seen.
What is the outlook for the Chicago Bears in 2022?
The Chicago Bears finished the 2021-22 season with an abysmal 6-11 record. Their lackluster performances led to the dismissal of head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.
The team will be looking forward to quarterback Justin Fields getting another full season of experience and building on what he learned last campaign. However, big personnel changes for Chicago have cost Fields the opportunity to play with veteran wide receivers.
As the 2022-23 NFL season begins, the main question for Chicago will be whether they have done enough to set up their young quarterback for success.