Virginia Halas McCaskey, the longtime owner of the National Football League’s Chicago Bears, has died. She was 102.
McCaskey took over principal ownership of the Bears in 1983. She was preceded by her father, George Halas, who founded the Bears organization over 100 years ago in 1920. McCaskey’s death was announced by the Bears and confirmed by her family on Thursday.
“While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on Earth,” McCaskey’s family said in a statement. “She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans.”
Born in 1923 in Chicago, McCaskey was the longest-tenured owner in the NFL and the oldest owner of any team in U.S. professional sports at the time of her death. During her 42-year tenure as Bears owner, she presided over the team’s only Super Bowl win to date in 1986. Since then, the team has made it to the Super Bowl one other time in 2007 when the Bears lost to the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts.
The Bears have won a total nine NFL championships throughout its history, eight of which preceded the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The team has been owned by the same family longer than any other NFL organization.
The death of McCaskey, sometimes referred to as “Mama Bear” by fans, comes after a particularly difficult season for the team. With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears selected rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but the team won just five games in the 2024-25 season and fell short of the NFL playoffs.
Head coach Matt Eberflus was fired with five games remaining in the season. He was subsequently replaced by former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was named the Bear’s 18th head coach in late January.
McCaskey is survived by, among others, her son George McCaskey, who currently serves as chairman of the Chicago Bears.
