Max Sobkowicz

DL Coach // Nurse

[Yogi @Houseofyogi]

Chicago lost the Bears this week. A team that's been in the city since 1921.

They didn't lose them to a bigger market or a better deal. The Bears decided they'd rather be a tenant in Indiana than deal with Illinois for one more year.

Think about how badly you have to run a place for that to be the smart move.

They lost them for two reasons.

The people running Illinois would rather villainize a builder than keep one. And they're bad at their jobs.

In 2021 the Bears spent $197M on the old Arlington Park racetrack.

Before they could break ground, Cook County valued the empty lot at $192M (Bears said $60M). They were salivating at the chance to extort a building that didn't even exist yet.

That fight dragged on for years.

The Bears were ready to put $2B into the stadium. All they wanted was a promise the county wouldn't reassess them into oblivion, plus $855M for infrastructure everyone uses. Roads, transit, utilities. A $3B project, two thirds of it private money pouring into Illinois.

Springfield had since 2021 to get this done. They dragged it to the final night of session, passed it through the Senate at 3:39AM, and the House went home without voting.

So now it's all gone.

The funniest part? This started because Cook County tried to grab the tax early. They knew a built stadium would pay $53M a year. Now they get under $4M on a vacant lot. No jobs, no buildout, no new anything.

Congrats on fighting for scraps and losing the whole prize.

Pritzker: they're "an $8.5B valued business" that doesn't need propping up.

But be smart for a second. Almost every NFL city throws in public money for a stadium. Not charity. The return is real. Tourism, hotels, restaurants, jobs, game days, property tax on a huge development. The math works.

Indiana did the math. While Illinois sat on it for years, Indiana passed a bill in months, put up $1B, and took the team.

And the Bears took a worse deal to get there. In Illinois they were going to own their stadium. In Indiana they rent it from the state. A team that wanted to build its own home gave up ownership just to escape Chicago.

Nobody won but Indiana. The Bears lost their stadium. Illinois lost the team, the $2B, and $53M a year in taxes.

Pritzker after they left: "I wasn't willing to give up billions of dollars of taxpayer money to give it to a billionaire-owned family or team."

There it is. "Billionaire-owned."

That's how Democrats talk about any business right before they run it out of town. Call them a billionaire, act like you're saving working families, take a victory lap while the tax base drives across the state line.

Meanwhile they're running the whole state into the ground. And you already know how this ends. You're living in it.

Pensions are $143B in the hole, worst in the country and not close. You pay $6,285 a year in property taxes, double the $2,969 national average, for a city that's $1.15B in the red. The mayor called its finances "the point of no return."

When you run things this badly, you sell what's left.

They leased the parking meters for 75 years to Morgan Stanley and a sovereign wealth fund in Abu Dhabi. Took $1.15B and burned through it in two years. The investors already made it all back, with 58 years left to collect.

Sold the Skyway. Sold the downtown garages. Every asset that made money, gone for one check.

But a fixed property tax rate for a team that's been here 106 years? That's "propping up billionaires."

Companies are leaving. Boeing for Virginia. Caterpillar for Texas. Citadel for Miami. In 2023 alone Illinois lost 56,000 people and $6B in income to other states. The ones who left earned a third more than the ones who moved in.

Indiana didn't outbid anyone. AAA credit, 16 years straight. A $676M surplus. Fourth-lowest debt per person in the country. They just weren't a disaster.

Illinois could have collected $53M a year. It chose zero. Ignore all the bad management but make sure to stick it to those evil, pesky billionaires.

[Max Sobkowicz @SobkowiczMax]

@TansuYegen America has these.

[Joe Herff @JosephHerffNFL]

Get James Robinson back in the NFL

[Houston Texans @HoustonTexans]

Rookie roll call ☎️

[Landry Locker @LandryLocker]

No. 17 Illinois State WR Daniel Sobkowicz was wildly entertaining to watch at the FCS level. Should be fun to observe.

[Clayton Anderson | HTX Sports @Clay_HTXSports]

P Jake Stonehousr, WR Daniel Sobkowicz and CB Collin Wright are 3 UDFA's I'll keep keeping an eye out for heading into Texans rookie minicamp starting today.

Do you have any others?

I explain more down below: ⤵️

[big ounce @_bigounce]

Daniel Sobkowicz (WR, Illinois State) is an intriguing undrafted pickup for the Texans.

He tore it up during Illinois State’s playoff and championship run. Who does he remind you of?

Crazy abilities.

[N0mad Sc0tt @n0mad_sc0tt]

Really cool intel here from @smifootballshow on Daniel Sobkowicz, Texans UDFA signing from Illinois St (FCS)

#htownmade
https://t.co/b8wW6NYAWK

[Houston Stressans @TexansCommenter]

Texans UDFA All-American WR Daniel Sobkowicz out of FCS Illinois State (help lead to ‘25 title game) is impressive:

- 6’2” 190 lbs, 37.5” vert, 1001 broad, 4.63 40, 1.53 10 yd, 4.41 shuttle & 8.81 2 cone & 8.28 RAS
-262 career receptions, 3,549 yards, & 41 TDS (also 3 passing TDS & 1 rushing)

Uses his size well to box out defenders on 50/50 balls, great ball skills, uses hands naturally, great recognition for space or “grass”, and technical & savvy route runner

Potential too add to his frame and skillset / style is something Texans covet in current scheme at WR

🎥 @RealBGauvin23

[Patrick Cunningham @pmc3_83]

The greatest wide receiver in Illinois State history went undrafted over the weekend, but still found his way to an NFL contract.

Daniel Sobkowciz is headed to H-Town.
Story: https://t.co/JEl3OMA1cq

[The American Bowl @TheAmericanBowl]

From the American Bowl to the NFL 🇺🇸 Congratulations to Daniel Sobkowicz, Wide Receiver from Illinois State Football, on being signed by the @HoustonTexans!

#TheAmericanBowl #NFLDraft #NFL #NCAA #JOCKOFUEL

[Valley Football @ValleyFootball]

𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 📖

@RedbirdFB’s @dan_sobkowicz is headed to the @HoustonTexans 😮‍💨

#ValleyFootball x #FCS x @ISURedbirds x @NFL x @NCAA_FCS

[Tyler Gall @tygall_]

Illinois State standout WR Daniel Sobkowicz is signing with the Houston Texans, h/t @BarryOnCampus

Sobkowicz collected 1,141 receiving yards in 2025-26 for the Redbirds including 19 TD.

Photo via Maddie Grindley

#REDBIRDfootball

[Illinois State Football @RedbirdFB]

Dan is headed to H-Town! 🤘

Daniel Sobkowicz has signed a Free Agent deal with the @HoustonTexans
#NFLBirds | #RB4L

[Bryan @RealBGauvin23]

Illinois State WR Daniel Sobkowicz(@dan_sobkowicz) put a cherry on top of an excellent career with the Redbirds, earning 2nd Team AP FCS All-American honors.

The Arlington Heights, Illinois native was flat out dominant, recording 83 receptions for 1,141 yards and 19 TDs while leading the Redbirds all the way to the National Title Game.
#FCS #MVFC #Redbirds

[Opta FCS Football @OptaAnalystFCS]

Former Illinois State WR Daniel Sobkowicz is reportedly signing with the Texans as an UDFA.

One of eight FCS players in the last 30 years to have 250+ receptions (262), 3,500+ receiving yards (3,559) and 40+ TD catches (41) in a career.

[Barry Bottino-Prairie State Pigskin @BarryOnCampus]

An Illinois State spokesperson confirms WR Daniel Sobkowicz is signing as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans.

[Max Sobkowicz @SobkowiczMax]

#HTown

[Zach McKinnell @zachmckinnell]

Daniel Sobkowicz (Illinois State; WR) is reportedly signing with the Houston Texans

[Sam Herder @SamHerderFCS]

Illinois State WR Daniel Sobkowicz is signing a UDFA deal with Houston, I'm told

[RAS.football @MathBomb]

Daniel Sobkowicz is a WR prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.46 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 226 out of 4190 WR from 1987 to 2026.

https://t.co/mAZ8fVLT0Q