Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show
Geoff Buchholz breaks down latest on talks between Gov. Pritzker, Bears (Hour 3)
20 Feb 2026
Chapter 1: What are the latest developments in the Bears stadium negotiations?
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Wow.
I got five. It's time for five on it. Rahimi Harrison-Roney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104.3 The Score. Got six. Number one.
Sports business expert Mark Ennis joined David Haw and Ruthie Polinski here on 104.3 The Score this morning to discuss the latest on the Bears' push to build a new stadium. What did all of the developments yesterday do to the chances of the Bears...
building a stadium in Arlington Heights. I think it enhanced the chances. And the reason why is if that was not... Yesterday should have been a massive wake-up call for the legislators in Springfield.
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Chapter 2: How does the recent Bears statement impact their negotiations with Illinois?
Stop playing around. Stop three years of, oh, it's not a priority. Oh, well, you have to focus on Chicago. Oh, Howard Street is actually the demilitarized zone and it's good South Korea versus bad North suburbs. All of that needs to be in the past. And if they don't wake up from that, then they will go to Indiana. But I do not think they will stay asleep.
I think Governor Pritzker is on top of this now. Over the last few weeks, since around Christmas... I've started seeing the kind of machinations in Springfield that typically leads to a deal getting done. It's been recent, unfortunately. They should have done this a long time ago, but it's not too late. And I do believe that it will turn out to be the wake-up call. Now, if they don't wake up,
Hammond, Indiana is where they're going, but I do believe they will wake up.
Chapter 3: What role does Governor Pritzker play in the Bears stadium discussions?
Sports business expert Mark Gannis with David Haugh and Ruthie Polinski here on 104.3 The Score earlier this morning. Do you agree with Gannis?
Yes, and I haven't always agreed with Gannis, which is why I think when he's saying it, then that lends a lot of credibility to the fact that This is about leverage. Like, that's my concern the whole time. And that's why I'm like, hey, you'd better not waste the state of Indiana's time and money here. You know, if you really want to do this, then go ahead and put forth a real proposal.
And when we found out from the Hammond mayor that there was not yet any set location, even though the vicinity is agreed upon in Wolf Lake, then that's not enough. So I feel like this was some sort of... leverage play, for lack of a better term. I agree with Gannis because he hasn't always been on that page.
Man, listen. That news yesterday and the way it came down and the way Indiana came to play ball and the way the Bears issued their statement, it served as a nitro. If you play video games, you hit the nitro and your car goes really fast after going regular.
Fast and furious?
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Chapter 4: How are the Bears leveraging their position with Indiana?
Yes. It served as an espresso. It served as bounty.
I love that song.
The quicker picker upper. It served as a laxative. Just get ish done. Whoa. That's what it served as. And now everybody understands. There's not going to be, as Mark Gannis pointed out, there's not going to be this argument, oh, put it on the old Michael Reese. No, it's Arlington Heights or we leave and we go to Indiana. Get it together if you want to keep it in Illinois.
I think the message is clear. It is firm.
Chapter 5: What does the term 'mollify' mean in the context of this discussion?
And I think everyone understands in Illinois, including the Bears, it doesn't have to be the best offer. It just can't be ridiculous. In their eyes. Now, what is ridiculous in their eyes? I don't know. But Indiana's going to offer the best package, and it's out there, and it's looming. And next week it's probably getting signed into a bill in some shape, form, or fashion.
But now Illinois knows they are officially on the clock.
I don't know if it necessarily enhanced Arlington Heights' chances, but as dramatic as the release looked yesterday, part of the release was the due diligence part in Indiana, which needs to be, should be exactly interpreted as... Arlington Heights has time right now.
So I guess if you believe the time that the state of Illinois has means that they have a better chance now of getting the Bears to build there, then yes, that would be the case. Illinois has time right now to get to catch up. and get things done in expedited fashion. But if they don't get it done in expedited fashion, if they lollygag, then they're going to lose the stadium to Indiana.
And you nailed it too, Marshall.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of the Bears' potential move to Indiana?
The people that I spoke to confirm exactly what you just said, and that is if both proposals are equal, even if Arlington Heights is lesser, the state of Illinois is a little bit lesser, the benefit of the doubt will go to the stadium, which has been purchased. That would be in Arlington Heights.
Number two.
The Bears have released veteran linebacker Eamon Ogbong-Bomiga. Who's next? What?
I'm worried it's Tremaine Edmonds because of the cap hit that the Bears would take, which is a little over $2 million. It's just about $2.5 million based on the cap hit that he would have if he were playing, which is... Much higher. So because of that, I feel like it just might be Tremaine Edmonds. And it stinks.
And if you look at the stats, even though he was on injured reserve, he was the Bears' most productive linebacker last year. And that's what makes this hard to deal with. But given the fact that it seems like it's inevitable, I feel like linebackers on teams come and go. And it's a shame that perhaps his...
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Chapter 7: How do fans perceive the Bears' negotiations with the state?
truest year to himself was this past one. But it just makes me worry because TJ Edwards isn't healthy yet. So that leaves a big space. But I think they might look at the number and say it's one that they can't refuse. Grotes, I see you nodding.
Of course, Tremaine Edmonds is like top of the heap just because of the $15 million cap savings. But I guess what I was going through my head, Layla, and then you noticed on my face, is I'm also thinking about Cole Komet. I don't like thinking about that.
He's a friend of the Take the North podcast.
He's a friend of the Take the North podcast. He's a friend of the score. He was here for FM Day. He's a friend of Chicago. He really is. It's not just that, but you'd save $8.4 million of cap space if Cole Komet was to be released and then, you know,
Chapter 8: What are the broader economic impacts of the Bears' stadium decision?
DeAndre Swift, just right behind Komet in that regard. $7.47 million and a $1.33 cap hit as well. Or of dead money.
Dead cap.
Dead cap, yeah.
You're a cap hit when you're there. You're a dead cap when you're not. And that's really brutal language. It is.
But it's also factual language. It's no longer there. You're dead to me, at least. Here's why I think Cole Komet, I'm a little bit more...
hopeful that he sticks around because of the way his contract doesn't end after this following season i think he's more in line because he's only 26 years old he'll be 27 next season because everything's two tight ends and he may be three tight ends and i think he played very well you could argue he had his best season as a bear last year i want to say the restructure might be
the way to go with Cole Komet. Add some years to that contract to get him through his age 30 year, and you're getting a good chunk. He's good for the room. I think tight end is valuable enough, and knowing you've got a rookie right now in Colston Loveland playing alongside, that duo can do damage in coming years. I think it is Tremaine Edmonds.
It might be Tremaine Edmonds, and it might be Tremaine Edmonds, and it might be somebody else too. You can look at the running back situation with DeAndre Swift. It might be both those guys. In what order, I could not tell you, but Tremaine Edmonds, to me, sticks out like a sore thumb in this discussion.
Can I illustrate Cole Komet's season in one play? Sure. Don't you think it was the one where he was supposed to block on the two-point conversion and then he fell down and he was like, oh, and then he ran into the end zone and then got clocked as he was catching the ball for another oh, but then I was worried about his head and then he got back up and he was fine.
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