Monday is supposed to be an exciting day for the Chicago Bears, as they kick off what should be a promising season, on Monday Night Football. Instead, it has been hit after hit for Bears fans before the game even started. First, team CEO Kevin Warren sent a message to fans letting them know the Bears are officially setting their sights on moving to Arlington Heights.
Following that news, a video circulated of the current condition of Soldier Field’s playing surface, essentially justifying the move to a new stadium. Chris Hawkey shared a 33-second video showing his view of the field from the Vikings booth, and with hours until kickoff, there were visible seams on the natural turf.
Instead of a quality NFL playing field, the surface looked liked a puzzle that had just been pieced together. In the video, two workers were seen tending to the grass, but it may be a bit too late.
A look at the turf of @SoldierField from the @vikings booth pic.twitter.com/GhQHjMmisU
— Chris Hawkey (@Chris_Hawkey) September 8, 2025
Soldier Field’s playing surface in concerning condition ahead of Bears vs. Vikings Monday Night Football game
The playing field uses a natural grass turf, and the stadium spends a lot of time on it throughout the year to keep it in a good condition. However, Soldier Field, like most stadiums, is a multipurpose venue. In the five days leading up to Monday’s game, Soldier Field hosted five concerts. That means the installation of the playing field just took place in the hours since Sunday’s concert.
Soldier Field is used to making quick changeovers, so it’s unclear if that’s solely the reason why the field looks so patchy, but the issue is one of many reasons why the Bears are ready to relocate to Arlington Heights. The problems at Soldier Field extend beyond the playing surface, and since the stadium is owned by the city of Chicago, not the Bears, there’s not much the team can do to upgrade it.
Read more: Bears deliver gut punch to fans hours before season kickoff against Vikings
Everyone will be looking to see if the field becomes a factor in Monday night’s game, as Bears fans try to enjoy what will likely be one of the last handful of home openers at Soldier Field.