NFL commissioner, Bears execs met with Illinois legislators about stadium

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell joined Bears chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren in a meeting with Illinois legislators this week, a source confirmed, leaving open future discussions about a stadium site in either Chicago or the suburbs. The Bears said in a statement Friday they “appreciate the recent engagement from Illinois leadership to explore legislation, which has allowed us to share our feedback.”The Bears’ Illinois flirtation is in advance of the fall veto session, which begins Nov. 17 in Springfield. No deal can happen until then — and it’s unclear whether the Bears, even with their red-hot status on the field, would be atop of legislative priority list. The Bears’ stadium search has dragged on for five-and-a-half years.Goodell met with Illinois politicians in August, too, and later said that “we want to make sure that Arlington Heights and Illinois have an opportunity, and Indiana as well, to put their best foot forward.” A month later, he joined Gov. JB Pr