Michael McCaskey obit

Michael McCaskey, former Bears chairman, dies at age 76

He was not on the list.


Michael McCaskey, who led the Chicago Bears for nearly three decades following the death of his grandfather George Halas, died Saturday after a lengthy battle with cancer, the team said. He was 76.

A Yale graduate and the oldest of Ed McCaskey and team matriarch Virginia McCaskey's 11 children, Michael joined the family business in 1983 as president and CEO following the death of Halas, a founding father of the NFL and the franchise. He succeeded Ed McCaskey as chairman in 1999 and remained in that role until brother George McCaskey took over in 2011.

The Bears made 12 playoff appearances and captured their lone Super Bowl title during Michael McCaskey's tenure leading the franchise. He was chosen as NFL Executive of the Year by his peers following the 1985 championship season.

"Mike was already successful in every sense of the word when he took over for George S. Halas after the passing of 'Papa Bear' in 1983," the McCaskey family said in a statement. "We are grateful to Mike for overseeing arguably the greatest team in NFL history, and for his many years of service to the Bears and to us. The oldest of 11 siblings has many duties thrust upon him, not all of them pleasant, yet Mike handled them all with grace and patience."

Though his death was not brought on by the coronavirus, the McCaskeys said they are not able to "gather and grieve together at this time" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19," they said. "Our focus in the coming days will be to celebrate Mike's life, and be whatever source of support we can be to [son] John and [daughter] Kathryn and those they love."

He is also survived by his 97-year-old mother, Virginia Halas McCaskey, and his grandson, Jackson.

"Michael McCaskey proudly carried forth the legacy of his grandfather and NFL pioneer George Halas as team president and chairman and played an instrumental role in the success and popularity of the Bears," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "The Bears' memorable 1985 season and their Super Bowl XX victory helped further propel the NFL onto a global stage. Michael was a driving force in growing the NFL's international footprint with the first American Bowl game in London featuring the Bears and the Dallas Cowboys in 1986. He was also dedicated to serving his community."

Dave Wannstedt, who coached the Bears from 1993 through 1998, called McCaskey "a wonderful man" in a post on Twitter.

"Michael gave me an opportunity to be a NFL head coach and for that I am forever grateful. We had a great relationship and had many good times together," Wannstedt wrote. "I'll remember Mike as a wonderful man, devoted to his family, and his beloved Bears. Jan and I send our heartfelt condolences."

McCaskey served on several NFL committees. He was also instrumental in the Bears' moving their headquarters from the original Halas Hall at Lake Forest College to a state-of-the-art home nearby in 1997, giving them an indoor practice facility on their own campus.

Halas Hall was recently expanded to include four outdoor practice fields and 305,500 square feet of indoor training and office space.

McCaskey in 2005 co-founded the Bears' charitable foundation, which has granted over $21 million to more than 100 agencies in the Chicago area focusing on education, youth athletics, medical research and health awareness.

He was also a member of the NFL's long-range planning committee, expansion committee, stadium committee and finance committee.

McCaskey spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching science, English and music to junior high students in Ethiopia. He earned a doctorate in business from Case Western Reserve University in 1972 and taught organizational behavior and management courses at UCLA for three years before joining the faculty of the Harvard Business School.

He did have frequent clashes with former coach Mike Ditka, but worked with the Chicago icon for several years.

"His fierce love of the Bears was unmatched, as was his intellectual capacity and thirst for knowledge on a myriad of subjects," Bears president Ted Phillips said. "Michael displayed a professorial presence that could be challenging, but was also inspiring. I will be forever grateful for the many opportunities for growth that he provided me, as well as for his trust and support. Michael always strived to do things the right way with high character and with the Bears' best interests always paramount.

"Michael was a good man, gone much too soon. He presided over the only Super Bowl championship Chicago Bears team in 1985, and I know he is still smiling about that magical season."

During his tenure the Bears acquired some of the all time great in Bears history as players and coaches: Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan, Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Keith Van Horne, Mike Singletary, Jay Hilgenberg, Matt Suhey, Dennis Gentry, Thomas Sanders, Otis Wilson, Wilbur Marshall, Al Harris, Ron Rivera, Kevin Butler, Jim McMahon, Mike Tomczak, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Steve McMichael, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton, Glen Kozlowski, Mike Stoops, Todd Bell, Gary Fencik, Vestee Jackson, Cap Boso, Brad Muster, Tom Thayer, Mark Bortz, Dennis McKinnon, Vestee Jackson, Emery Moorehead, Trace Armstrong, Wendell Davis, Tom Waddle, Shaun Gayle, Mark Carrier, Johnny Bailey, Peter Tom Willis, Greg Landry, Jim Morrissey, Vince Tobin, Chris Gardocki, Dick Stanfel, Keith Jennings, James "Big Cat" Williams, Donnell Woolford, Alonzo Spellman, Danny Abramowicz, David Tate, Curtis Conway, Mike Shula, Jerry Fontenot, Craig Heyward, Shane Matthews, Ryan Wetnight, John Thierry, Raymont Harris, Erik Kramer, Merril Hoge, Nate Lewis, Jeff Graham, Todd Burger, Kevin Miniefield, Todd Sauerbrun, Rashaan Salaam, Ron Turner, Barry Minter, Jay Leeuwenburg, Dave Krieg, Jeff Jaeger, Walt Harris, Bobby Engram, Marty Carter, John Allred, Rick Mirer, Todd Perry, Jim Flanigan, Marcus Robinson, Tony Parrish, Olin Kreutz, Curtis Enis, Edgar Bennett, Glyn Milburn, James Allen, Alonzo Mayes, John Mangum, Chris Villarrial, Dick Jauron, Marty Booker, Jerry Azumah, Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Brian Urlacher, Dez White, Mike Brown, Rosevelt Colvin, Ted Washington, Larry Whigham, Brad Maynard, David Terrell, Keith Tractor Traylor, Danny Wuerffel, Chris Chandler, Marc Colombo, Adrian Peterson, Bryan Robinson, R. W. McQuarters, Rex Grossman, Kordell Stewart, Anthony Thomas, Lance Briggs, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Bobby Wade, Desmond Clark, Lovie Smith, Tommie Harris, Nathan Vasher, Jeff George, Tank Johnson, Thomas Jones, Justin Gage, Paul Edinger, Charles Tillman, Cedric Benson, Kyle Orton, Robbie Gould, John Tait,  Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, Brian Griese, Devin Hester, Greg Olsen, Matt Forte, Tim Spencer, Caleb Hanie, Johnny Knox, Jay Cutler, Chris Williams, Orlando Pace, Roberto Garza, Julius Peppers, Chris Harris, Earl Bennett, Tim Jennings, Major Wright, Mike Martz, Josh McCown, Marion Barber, Kellen Davis, Rod Marinelli, Leslie Frazier, Brian Cabral, Jeff Fisher, Steve Fuller, Reggie Phillips, Tim Wrightman, Pat Dunsmore, Brian Baschnagel, Jim Finks and Vince Evans.