“She gave us the playbook”: George McCaskey gets emotional on mother’s role in ownership of $6,400,000,000 NFL franchise

Bears chairman George McCaskey discussed his late mother, Virginia's, role in the family's ownership of the Chicago franchise.

During the NFL owners' meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, McCaskey spoke for the first time since the death of his mother. He hesitated when asked if he felt the responsibility to head the Bears after Virginia's death:

"Tremendous. Overwhelming. Daunting. Challenging. Humbling. Gratifying," McCaskey said.

"We've said for many years that we intend to own the Bears for as long as possible. Another hundred years would be great. She gave us the playbook and coached us up. Now we have to execute the plan. And we're prepared. We have to stick together."

McCaskey has been the Bears chairman since 2011. His mother, Virginia, the daughter of team founder George Halas, died in February at the age 102.

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George McCaskey is pushing to maintain the legacy

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George McCaskey explained that his mother structured the Bears - valued at $6.4 billion (as per Forbes) - for a smooth transition of power.

"She set it up for a smooth transition, and it's a credit to her," he said. "In law school, I heard stories about people who just couldn't contemplate their mortality, and, as a result, it caused a lot of confusion and problems for the family."

Major challenges remain for the Bears' future. President/CEO Kevin Warren will present information about private equity investment to the board in May. It comes after the NFL approved rules allowing teams to sell up to 10% of a franchise to private equity investors.

The Bills and the Dolphins have already implemented this approach. For the Bears, such investment could fund a new stadium downtown or in Arlington Heights.

"The dollars are staggering," George McCaskey noted. "The risk is staggering."

On the CHGO Bears podcast on April 1, George McCaskey reiterated the family's commitment to ownership:

"We've said for many years that we intend to own the Bears for as long as possible."

McCaskey shared his mother's perspective on their role with the franchise.

"The thing she emphasized to us is, we're not owners — we're stewards of George Halas' legacy," he said.

"We didn't do anything to deserve this. It just happened to us. It's not a role she ever wanted; she was perfectly comfortable with her brother running the show."

The NFL previously approved a succession plan allowing the McCaskey family to maintain ownership. Four McCaskeys serve on the team's board of directors, while four others work at Halas Hall.