Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois in 1919 as a company team. This was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The company hired George Halas and Edward “Dutch” Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. The 1920 Decatur Staleys season was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association. Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921. Official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL.

Established
1920

City
Decatur – Chicago

League History
1920 – Present  National Football League

Nickname
Staleys – The club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois in 1919 as a company team.

Stadium
2003 – Present  Soldier Field II

*Champaign*
2002  Memorial Stadium

*Chicago*
1971 – 2001  Soldier Field I
1921 – 1970  Wrigley Field

*Decatur*
1919 – 1920  Staley Field

Owner
1983 – Present  Virginia Halas McCaskey
1933 – 1983  George Halas
1921 – 1933  George Halas and Dutch Sternaman
1919 – 1921  A. E. Staley