On Thursday morning, the Chicago Bears announced that principal owner Virginia McCaskey had died at the age of 102. McCaskey had presided over the Bears since 1983 and was the eldest child of Bears founder George Halas, one of the most important people in pro football history.
Unfortunately for McCaskey, while the Bears flirted with greatness now and then during her primary control of the team — a berth in Super Bowl 41 comes to mind — they were mostly an afterthought, especially starting in the early 1990s.
But if McCaskey could take one solace in one thing, it was getting to see a potential glimpse of the future in her last Bears vs. Green Bay Packers matchup.
To close the 2024 NFL season, Caleb Williams’ Bears went into Lambeau Field and stunned their long-time rivals with a thrilling last-second victory. It was spurred by an awesome game-winning drive led by Williams, which culminated in this 51-yard field goal from Cairo Santos:
THE KICK IS GOOD! 🙌
The Bears get their first win against the Packers for the first time since 2018! pic.twitter.com/alIkIWRvwG
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2025
Regardless of what happens next for Williams’ Bears, McCaskey got to see her team beat the Packers one last time. That’s special. May she rest in peace.
