Former Illinois governor slams Pritzker for 'malpractice' as Bears look to flee to red state

"He [Pritzker] spent $3 billion on illegal immigrants, migrants, and apparently doesn't have the money or has paid the attention to try to keep the Bears in Illinois," he said.

"He's been outplayed and outflanked by this Indiana governor because his priorities are all about defending sanctuary for illegal immigrants," Blagojevich said.

"[Pritzker] turned his back on a working-class fan base of the Chicago Bears," Blagojevich said.

"This would be a disgrace if Pritzker allows the Bears to leave and allows the governor of Indiana to intercept our Bears."

While Illinois leaders expressed shock at the news, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun revealed the Bears approached his state five months ago after being "rebuffed" by its own government.

"This is dereliction because they've been trying to work with the state, with the city, for three years," Braun said Saturday on "Fox News Live."

The Indiana governor confirmed he has no intention of changing the team's title, noting that "Chicago Bears" remains an "iconic name" regardless of the zip code. He said he's looking to give the franchise a "better home" in a state where the "dollar goes a lot farther."