Justin Fields wants a dome and so should Chicago Bears fans
All signs are pointing to the Chicago Bears moving out of Soldier Field and into a new, high-tech stadium in Arlington Heights. No matter if the city of Chicago finds a way to keep the Bears on the lakefront or if the team builds their little multi-purpose campus, a dome needs to be a requirement. I’m not the only one who thinks this, Justin Fields wants a dome too.
In a lengthy interview on Pardon My Take, Justin Fields told the BarstoolSports podcast that he wants a dome in Chicago.
"“I hope we get a dome. I don’t care if we’re at Soldier Field, I don’t care if we’re at Arlington Heights. I hope we get a dome. It is very difficult to adjust to [the cold], especially with the wind. That’s what I found out. That’s what it’s all about, is the wind. It can be cold. It can be 10 degrees. But, with no wind you’re fine. But with that 15 mile per hour wind, that 20 mile per hour wind, you can’t fight it, it’s tough.”"
It is not just about feeling cold though. Justin Fields talked about how he feels like he moves slower when playing in the cold.
"“When it’s that cold, you have to bundle up. I feel way slower in that cold. It’s hard to stay warm in that weather.”"
The Chicago Bears need a dome and Justin Fields is correct
When we watch Justin Fields play football, he can take the ball to the house at any minute. He can throw beautiful deep balls as well. Unfortunately, if Fields is slower or even feels slower, it doesn’t help the offense at all. He’s not the only one who feels this way I am sure. Chicago Bears fans who scream about ‘Bear weather’ need to just knock it off. Bear weather is a joke and doesn’t help the team as much as fans believe it does.
In 2011, Sports Illustrated looked at over 6,000 games going back to 1985. They matched the results to the outside temperature, wind, rain and snow conditions. The study found that cold-weather teams are no more likely to win at home when the weather is brutally cold. The study also found that domes don’t help home teams as much as fans think either.
The real test though is talent. The Chicago Bears need more talent. Let’s have a nice dome stadium for fans to enjoy while watching their favorite team play and hopefully it’s with more talent because that’s what matters. Sitting in below-zero weather to “prove” how tough you are, well that doesn’t matter either. This franchise and fan base deserve nice things. First a franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, next a new stadium, and hopefully a few Super Bowls.