Chicago has three stadium options; Bears not interested
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday presented three options for renovating Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears, but the team said it's not interested.
Lightfoot proposed fully enclosing the stadium by rebuilding both end zones with columns that can support a dome; rebuilding both end zones with columns to make the stadium dome-ready; or modifying Soldier Field to be a multi-purpose stadium better suited for soccer.
“Any of these proposed renovations will allow Soldier Field to retain its role as an economic engine for Chicago for years to come,” Lightfoot said in a news release.
The mayor's office estimated the costs of the three options would range from $900 million to $2.2 billion. It did not say how it would pay for any of the options.
The proposed renovations would expand seating from 61,500 seats (now the lowest capacity in the NFL) up to 70,000; increase the number of suites from 133 to 140; and quadruple concession area square footage from 50,000 square feet (4,645 square meters) to 200,000 square feet (18,580 square meters), the mayor's office said.
The Bears had no new comment on Lightfoot's proposals but the team reiterated the same statement it issued July 7 when a panel appointed by Lightfoot recommended the city explore enclosing Soldier Field.
“The only potential project the Chicago Bears are exploring for a new stadium development is Arlington Park. As part of our mutual agreement with the seller of that property, we are not pursuing alternative stadium deals or sites, including renovations to Soldier Field, while we are under contract,” that statement said.
Chargers add White as assistant coach
The Chargers added Pat White, a former West Virginia University quarterback who also played in the NFL and the CFL, as an offensive assistant on coach Brandon Staley's staff on Monday.
White spent the 2021 training camp with the Chargers as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
He served as the quarterbacks coach with Campbell University this past spring. He's also been an assistant at Alcorn State, South Florida and Alabama
State. He passed for more than 6,000 yards while at West Virginia from 2005-08. He was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2009.
White was a member of a state championship football team and two state championship baseball teams while at Daphne (Alabama) High School. The Angels drafted him in 2004 and again in 2007.
The Chargers open training camp Wednesday at Costa Mesa's Jack Hammett Sports Complex.
Bengals prepare to pay Burrow to stay
The Bengals are already structuring finances so they can pay Joe Burrow enough money to stay in Cincinnati when the star quarterback becomes eligible to negotiate a new contract after this season, team owner Mike Brown said Monday.
Burrow likely will command a long-term deal paying him somewhere in the $40 million to $50 million range per season, based on the deals of other top NFL quarterbacks.
The latest to cash in was Kyler Murray, who last week signed a fiveyear, $230 million deal with the Cardinals, working out to about $46.1 million per season..
Raiders' Good to retire at just 31
Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Denzelle Good has been placed on the reserve retired list, leaving a potential hole in the weakest part of the team's offense.
The Raiders made the surprise announcement Monday that Good had decided to retire. Good was expected to compete for a starting spot at guard on Las Vegas' line as he worked his was back from reconstructive knee surgery.
Good was cleared to practice at the start of training camp last week but didn't participate on Sunday and now is calling it quits at age 31.
NFL announces streaming service
The NFL is making its move into offering its own media streaming platform.
The league announced that “NFL+” launched on Monday. Owners were briefed about it during the league meetings in May, while Brian Rolapp, the NFL's chief media and business officer, confirmed in a column for “Sports Illustrated” last week that it would be starting this season.