CHICAGO — It’s past time to use football analogies to describe the Chicago Bears’ long-running quest for a new stadium.

Fourth down. One-yard line. Precious few seconds remaining on the clock.

All of that has been used repeatedly.

What became salient Friday morning was the Bears moved a step closer to leaving Illinois for an undetermined site in Hammond, Ind., after announcing the club’s board of directors voted Thursday to proceed with plans in the Hoosier state.

“Yesterday, the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met and voted to advance our stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, with the exact site to be selected,” the team said in a joint statement from Chairman George H. McCaskey and President and CEO Kevin Warren.

“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city. It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”

This development came after efforts by Illinois lawmakers in Springfield were abandoned in the wee hours Monday with the legislature closing up shop for the spring session. A megaprojects bill fell apart and a last-second push to create a stadium authority was quickly scuttled.

Since then, lawmakers have criticized the Bears’ handling of the situation as it sought tax certainty, which is one way to phrase tax breaks. Everything the Bears have desired remains waiting for them in Indiana — even if leaving the state was never the club’s first choice.

From the NFL’s perspective, according to a league source, the race isn’t over. But by virtue of the General Assembly failing to present the Bears — and league — something to evaluate, Indiana has vaulted into the lead.

Where it goes from here remains anyone’s best guess. The Bears would still need to get approval from stadium and finance committees at the league level and then receive the blessing of a vote by all 32 teams to leave Soldier Field — whether they head to Hammond or Arlington Heights.

Hammond and Arlington Heights remain the only two destinations on the radar for the NFL, with Commissioner Roger Goodell saying at the most recent league meetings that Chicago was not a viable option, according to a source.

Indiana has started to celebrate the arrival of what would be a second NFL franchise for the state, which currently has the Indianapolis Colts.

“Hoosiers, help me welcome the Chicago Bears to our great state!” Gov. Mike Braun said Friday. “We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the ’85 Bears defense, creating opportunities and economic growth that will benefit our state and the Bears organization for decades to come.

“An NFL franchise in Northwest Indiana will be an economic boost to the entire region like we haven’t seen before.”

Unless the state of Illinois rallies quickly to create a plan the Bears deem viable, the next announcement from the franchise — which dubs itself “the pride and joy of Illinois” in its fight song, “Bear Down, Chicago Bears” — could well be announcing the intention to cross state lines to Hammond.

Friday’s announcement, if nothing else, was a final message to Illinois that the Bears aren’t bluffing about heading to Indiana.

It could be that their second choice — Hammond — remains their only option and one they will take.

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