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They gathered in the George "Mugs" Halas Jr. Auditoriumnamed after Mrs. McCaskey's late brotherto watch a private screening of the documentary "A Lifetime . According to Michael McCaskey, the television contract paying each NFL team an average of $70 million per year plus the collective-bargaining agreement that imposes a salary cap will enable the family "to keep our heads above water" even without extra stadium income from luxury boxes and club seating. According to a new report by top Bears insider Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog, the 99-year-old McCaskey is not well, and neither are team dynamics. . It was unclear whether that interest would now be Bluhm`s and Malkin`s or revert to the estate that has held it for the two Halas grandchildren. "I'm in the position I'm in because my dad trusted me and I just want to fulfill that trust.". Bears head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery were fired Monday. I think (Mayor Richard) Daley is just kind of hoping we'll get so strung out we can't dry. Virginia McCaskey is the dominant owner. Virginia Halas McCaskey, daughter of legendary coach George Halas, inherited the Chicago Bears franchise upon Halas's death in 1983. But team revenue has slipped out of its late-1980s position in the top quarter of the league. She followed every team her father fielded, though. Ed Jr. seems to be in his mid-30s, but information online is somewhat limited. An immersive business education designed for the driven and determined. I think of him as a very strong presence, someone I always felt knew all the answers whether I was having problems with algebra or relationships or learning how to ride a two-wheel bike without training wheels, she said. But in time, things could change. I still hope we can do better than we've [been] doing. The grandchildren had fought the sale on grounds that their stock was worth $20 million to $30 million and that the JMB offer was a ''sweetheart deal'' between the Bears, Miller and JMB. All family members must graduate from college and work outside of the organization for a minimum of five years, at which time you must be, according to Virginia Halas McCaskey, almost overqualified to work for the Bears. Curly Lambeau, 30 years. I am very comfortable saying that it is fully our intention to continue operating the Bears and to continue operating them in the Chicagoland area.". Since his death in 2003, she has remained single. As kickoff approaches, heres the inside slant on three no. got your result, Mccaskey Family Tree View Design & Templates, Fruits Basket Another Family Tree You Will Love Top Collections, Family Tree Necklace With Birthstones View Design & Templates. He was 76. A devoted wife, mother and Catholic, she put family first. We need to get it turned around. If Foxs more than 100 cameras cant come up with a definitive shot, what hope can there be for replay review? The McCaskeys married in 1943 and, soon after, began building a family of their own. The only problem was we didnt win the Super Bowl afterwards.. She will call all of it her sacred duty.. She is the eldest child of Bears founder and owner George Halas, who left the team to his daughter upon his death in 1983, and Minnie Bushing Halas. "You could not live off that," Vice President Tim McCaskey said. Shes looking for icebergs. Shes got the night watch. . She will become the owner of Chicago's most celebrated sports franchise. (Both McKenna and Ryan sit on the Tribune's board of directors.) Heres How To Trade The Stock Now, NBA Investigating Ja MorantGrizzlies Star Allegedly Flashed Gun On Instagram After Reports Of Violent Behavior, Liverpool Legend Roberto Firmino Reportedly Offers Himself To FC Barcelona, A Century Of Women, Work - And Juggling Family, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information. Those are the last records made public. "There are a number of McCaskeys who don't feel they have gotten what they should have gotten by virtue of being who they are, and when they have the opportunity to sell, they'll do so," one McCaskey said. The congressman supported new gun legislation after a school shooting in Uvalde, located in his district. The best things people have said to me were dad and Mugs did what was best for the good of the league rather than what was best for the Chicago Bears.. Patrick Ryan, president of Aon Corp., and Andrew McKenna, president of Schwarz Paper Co., own 19.7 percent of the Bears, the portion that once belonged to Mugs Halas. She is the eldest child of the McCaskey family and has 80% control under her. Yes, Virginia McCaskey is George Halas daughter. Geni requires JavaScript! The Bears have been in the McCaskey family for nearly 100 years, and that won't be changing any time in the near future. Please subscribe to keep reading. Friends indicated that they would surely be disappointed. He serves as the lead negotiator for all player contracts while also assisting the GM with salary cap management, as well as with all legal issues in the football operations department. The win Thursday night was the, The Bears practiced inside the Walter Payton Center on a cold Wednesday afternoon as they prepare for their rematch against the Packers on Sun. Performance & security by Cloudflare. McCaskey is a Roman Catholic and considers "faith, family, and football" indivisible in her life. This raises the issue of available money. He was named the teams senior vice president in 2016. 3 keys for the Bears on Thursday night against the Cowboys. They are staying another 75 years, said Michael McCaskey, the No. The Bears boast the second-best special-teams unit in the NFL. 1 son and chief executive officer of the club. It was family. Dont want Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for the Bears-Cowboys game? Virginia lives in Des Plaines, Illinois. Today, the average NFL team is worth $1.4 billion. The three-page letter was signed by Edward McCaskey, chairman of the board of the Bears, and his son Michael McCaskey, club president and chief executive officer. Drexel bust. Although McCaskey never had any official share of ownership, he acted as co-owner alongside his wife before his death in 2003. Virginia McCaskey, Bears matriarch and daughter of George Halas, was unable to make the trip to Florida as she recovers from a medical issue back in January, according to multiple reports. Although the league TV contract has ballooned again, the lifestyles of the McCaskey family are hardly rich and famous. The Bears 21-13 loss to the Packers helped seal their playoff fate Sunday and stamp this season as a colossal disappointment. McCaskey, the eldest of. '', Stephen Halas said, ''I don`t know if the $17.5 million was the amount the Bears wanted to pay, but it was low enough that the Bears could match the offer.''. Zygi Wilf, Minnesota Vikings/Forbes Net worth: $1.3 billion Bears seasons. Admissions experts with one goal to help you soar like a Dragon. To other team owners, she will be known as the First Lady of the NFL. "I assume Pat Ryan got in with the intent of cherry-picking McCaskeys to get to 51 percent," one source said. I assume it`s happy with the decision.''. After he passed away in 1983, the team ownership was passed down to his daughter Virginia Halas . She was also a part of all of my fathers struggles. He sang in a band at local dance clubs. And I appreciate that now more than I ever did when I was growing up.. Virginia Halas McCaskey owner of the Chicago Bears, arrives at TCF Bank Field, for the game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday. And this trinity, innate in Halas children, cannot can never be divided. Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey and about 20 members of her family spent an entertaining and emotional afternoon Sunday at Halas Hall. When Mrs. McCaskey speaks of her time at Drexel, she speaks first of family. I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing. McCaskey turned 100 on January 5, 2023.[6]. When I do think about my fathers legacy, it is with gratitude and a great sense of responsibility, she says. Virginia's son George Halas McCaskey, who was named after his grandfather, serves as chairman. "I think with a new stadium, the McCaskeys can continue to own the Bears for as long as future generations see fit because we will have the money necessary to buy out those who want to get out, and those who want to stay can stay," Tim McCaskey said. And that sets up a bold offseason from GM Ryan Pace. Moreover, she is now the longest-tenured NFL owner, passing former Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, who died in 2019. You may also light a candle in honor of Betty W. McCaskey or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral service. McCaskey and her family still own an estimated 80% of the Bears, a team worth $1.7 billion despite recent mediocre results on the field. Chicago Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey, left, speaks as President and CEO Ted Phillips looks down at a news conference at Halas Hall on Monday in Lake Forest. The team did not match a $500,000 Bluhm-Malkin offer for the grandchildren`s nearly 20 percent interest in a partnership that controls the club`s Soldier Field skyboxes. "I certainly hope that there won't be," she said in a rare interview. Some preferred not to talk, or to speak without attribution. In 2007, she told the Chicago Tribune: "I probably live in the smallest house of any NFL executive, but that's what Ed and I were comfortable doing. If I had started the Chicago Bears and I had done everything thats been done over all the years, then I might feel that I deserved some of those responses from people, she says. The 94-year-old matriarch of the McCaskey family is the oldest owner in the NFL. To be clear, selling the Bears doesn't seem like something imminently on the table. We have to show the fans we're doing everything we possibly can to get back.". Decades from now long after Virginia and her husband, Edward McCaskey, have raised 11 children; after her father has been recognized as Chicago's "Papa Bear"; she will be called on to do more than her share in the service of her father's legacy. They werent always easy. Virginia Halas McCaskey was born on 5 January 1923, in Chicago, Illinois USA, the daughter of George Halas, the famed founder, owner and coach of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. The team is currently owned by Virginia Halas McCaskey, daughter of team founder and NFL legend George Halas. Even before the decision to buy the Halas grandchildren`s nearly 20 percent, Virginia effectively controlled 66.33 percent of club stock. Here's why. Court records in the Freeman McNeil antitrust lawsuit against the NFL in 1992 showed four members of the McCaskey family were paid annual salaries of between $44,000 and $534,000 for the years 1987-90. ''This just proves what we were saying. Five McCaskeys now sit on the Bears' board of directors, joined by McDonald's chairman Andy McKenna and insurance billionaire Patrick Ryan, who partnered up to buy a 20% stake in 1990. Or to insert herself into the conversation. Reticent and private, she prefers the background, yet thrives on a legacy she always enjoyed but never expected to control. full of hope for prosperity in 2018. Her second-balcony ticket cost $1.25. Our children are G3. In fact, she quotes her son Pat and says the team will remain in the family until the second coming., [SHOP BEARS:Get your Bears gear right here]. ", Virginia McCaskey recalls a quote she liked from someone in the family: "Either we own the Bears or we are the rich McCaskeys. At the age of nine, Virginia Halas attended the NFLs very first championship game at Chicago Stadium. Subscribe to the, ex-GM Ryan Pace and former coach Matt Nagy. Her son, George McCaskey, is the chairman. It was all due to the effort and dedication of my parents that kept them involved in the Chicago Bears when other people were giving up. To that sentiment, there is little opposition within the family because of the great respect the McCaskeys share for Halas' only daughter. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). ", In an earlier interview this year, Michael McCaskey said: "We haven't looked at this as a business in which the primary objective is to increase the value of the franchise. 2023 Forbes Media LLC. Thank you for visiting mccaskey family tree page. Discover Virginia Halas McCaskey's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Thus, it was Virginia who inherited the Bears when her father died four years later. George Halas founded the Chicago Bears in 1920. She is the eldest child of Bears founder and owner George Halas, who left the team to his daughter upon his death in 1983, and Minnie Bushing Halas. "Unused tickets notwithstanding, to me it's a testament to the faith of our fans through these two very disappointing seasons there has not been a (TV) blackout. McCaskey inherited a Bears team that won Super Bowl XX two seasons after "Papa Bear's" death. She arrived at age 16 with the stipulation that she live with her Uncle Walter, a Drexel sports legend in his own right, who served as the Institutes football, baseball and basketball coach. It is a decision that should forever alter the perception that the Halas-McCaskey family is cheap. Not for a woman who, for 29 years, has served as the vigilant curator of a family dream in an industry dominated by men and money. player Lance Briggs andTom Thayer and Jeff Joniak, of WBBM-AM. Speaking about her personal life, McCaskey married Ed McCaskey in 1943. . Hughes then named a potential front-runner to replace Phillips. "Well, it's a wonderful kind of burden, isn't it?" If we can keep the Bears, that's a wonderful part of the legacy. It would thus avoid a disputed portion of club bylaws, which might have allowed them to pay the money over 10 years at a 9 percent annual interest rate. Virginia Halas McCaskey hold 80% & Aon Corporation's executive chairman Patrick Ryan and director Andrew McKenna hold 19.7%. Her son Michael McCaskey was President and CEO of the team from 1983 (after George Halas died) until 2011 when his brother George and Ted Phillips took over control. Maybe that will change, but based on the family's history of . The Bears will attempt to improve from their 3-14 season from the previous year and make the playoffs after a three year absence. "Paul (Tagliabue) made reference to Walter Payton and his longevity. she said, "What would we rather be doing?". A Yale graduate and the oldest of Ed and team matriarch Virginia McCaskey's 11 children, Michael joined the family business in 1983 as president and CEO following the death of Halas . Though McCaskey family members said Friday that they were not surprised by the move to buy the additional shares, which was disclosed privately several days earlier, Eisenberg said that ''all indications prior to their exercise of the right of first refusal was that they would waive that right.'' Between them, McCaskey and other Halas heirs own 80% of the Bears. With Mike Ditka at the helm, the Bears won Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots. ), the Chiefs spin move, Google and Tom Brady. "I agree wholeheartedly with Mike's assessment of the situation: We're in it for the long haul and consider it an honor and a privilege and a huge responsibility to continue George Halas' legacy," George McCaskey said. Virginia Halas McCaskey was born on 5th January 1923 in Chicago, Illinois to George Halas, an American professional football player, coach, and team owner, and Minnie Bushing Halas. Prime time. Its going to be cold Sunday for the 200th Bears-Packers game. Multiple huge changes could be in store for the Chicago Bears. Halas Jr., father of Christine and Stephen Halas. Virginia Marion Halas McCaskey (born January 5, 1923) is an American football executive who is the principal owner of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Back in 1920, Halas sat down with the leaders of 12 other football clubs in a Canton, Ohio car showroom and drew up plans for the American Professional Football Association, a precursor to the NFL. Some believe she would; others say she has changed her mind from time to time on a subject she prefers to ignore. And, yes, we've come a long way, baby! McCaskey, 98, is the eldest child of former owner George Halas, who left the team to her when he died in 1983. Brian McCaskey, the Bears' director of player development, worked as an assistant team trainer and also ran a rehabilitation clinic on the side for 10 years to make a comfortable living. But the McCaskeys have planned ahead for this as well by structuring different classes of stock they expect will enable the family to maintain voting control even if some individuals opt out. Kenyas sole electricity distributor cited a system disturbance as a possible cause for the blackout. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The Chicago Bears have been owned by one family for a century. Until 1983, Mrs. McCaskeys focus was on raising children. And do the best we could as far as the Chicago Bears were concerned.. McCaskey and her family still own an estimated 80% of the Bears, a team worth $1.7 billion despite recent mediocre results on the field. She is the eldest child of Bears founder and owner George Halas, who left the team to his daughter upon his death in 1983, and Minnie Bushing Halas. When Michael McCaskey was asked if Ryan eventually wants to buy the Bears, he answered: "I don't know." ''All along, we`ve said that it was a sweetheart deal and that they were just a stalking-horse for the McCaskeys,'' Therese Halas said. This does not happen often. Getty The legacy is what he did and who he was. You have permission to edit this collection. Green Bay swept the season series. My brother Ed and I are G2. But McCaskey family sources said the purpose was to maintain family control, a desire especially important to Virginia McCaskey, the principal owner. Her senior graduation picture in the 1943 Lexard shows a beautiful woman with a confident gaze and her fathers unmistakable, dimpled chin. Ed McCaskey Jr., a great-grandson of George Halas and grandson of Virginia Halas McCaskey, bought a three-bedroom townhome on Westbridge Circle with his wife, Katherine, according to Crain's . Bears add 2 more to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Jimbo Covert and Ed Sprinkle , Super Bowl winners and losers: Virginia McCaskey, all those Fox cameras (but not a great replay shot? You can cancel at any time. "Of course we have concern," Virginia McCaskey said, "especially when you work as hard as everybody has been working and the results aren't what you hope they will be. On that occasion, the First Lady of the NFL took to the field to receive the trophy while fans sang Bear Down Chicago Bears., It was glorious, she says. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Betty W. McCaskey of Mobile, Alabama, who passed away at the age of 81, on December 31, 2021. "Each one of my brothers and sisters see this as a legacy from my grandfather. [14], Virginia attended Drexel University, majoring in secretarial studies with the aspiration of serving as her father's secretary. That`s what I`m here for,'' said Miller, president of North American Paper Co. in Berkeley. Yet she came to appreciate and use her Drexel education when she took ownership of the Bears. [11], Halas's husband, Ed McCaskey, was previously the chairman and treasurer of the Bears. The New England Patriots plan to release 37-year-old quarterback Brian Hoyer at the beginning of the 2023 league year, as first reported by SiriusXM NFL's Adam Caplan. The defending NFC North champions have work to do after a less-than-inspiring 19-14 victory over the struggling New York Giants. Ryan owns about 90 percent of the portion and is viewed by insiders and outsiders with a wary eye. Virginia Halas McCaskey has been the Bears' owner since 1983. "I don't think you can remove alternatives like that," Michael McCaskey said. However, the team struggled in the 1990s, and since 1999 she has been a very hands-off owner. I realized that I was in that position because my dad had enough faith in me to make it possible, she says. NFL But make no mistake: When Virginia Halas McCaskey speaks, everyone listens. Aaron Jones ran for two scores, Davante Adams caught another and the Packers defeated the Bears 21-13 in the 200th edition of he NFL's oldest rivalry. It wont be easy. ''It is very probable the kids will contest this,'' said Therese Halas, who would not outline any possible legal grounds. In the 16 seasons since his death, when Michael McCaskey became president, there have been nine winning seasons. Today, Virginia Halas McCaskey doesnt care much to talk business. Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has called her an icon. ", Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. How has the Suns' new starting group performed? At 89, she has watched the NFL grow to a 32-team juggernaut that generates $8.3 billion in annual revenue. McCaskey is one of ten female NFL owners as of 2022, including Sheila Ford Hamp (Detroit Lions), Amy Adams Strunk (Tennessee Titans), Kim Pegula (Buffalo Bills), Carol Davis (Las Vegas Raiders), Denise DeBartolo York (San Francisco 49ers), Gayle Benson (New Orleans Saints), Janice McNair (Houston Texans), Jody Allen (Seattle Seahawks), and Dee Haslam (Cleveland Browns). There is also a strict Buffett-esque employment policy for the family business. Now she's 75 and she has a cleaning lady once every two weeks," Tonquest said. But she didnt push it away either. Clearly, he wears a lot of hats. Because of the untimely death of her brother, George "Mugs" Halas Jr., in 1979, Virginia Halas McCaskey has held a majority of the team's stock since her father's death in 1983. To Virginia McCaskey, this is an old story line. Virginia raised her 11 children to be Bears fanatics. Here's an excerpt from McCaskey'sinterview with The Athletic: I want our family to attend so they get some idea that it isnt just our interest in the Chicago Bears, she said. After two games, Kevin Durant looks to be extremely comfortable in the Phoenix Suns' offense. "I don't look to be in the spotlight. Managed by: Alex Bickle: Last Updated: April 28, 2022: View Complete Profile . Former Chicago Bears president and CEO Michael McCaskey, a grandson of George Halas, died after a lengthy battle with cancer, the team announced Saturday. Stein, like Phillips, has established many contacts throughout the league. While she doesnt care much to talk about accolades, Mrs. McCaskey glows when she talks about her family. Bluhm and Malkin, who own JMB Realty Corp., 444 N. Wabash Ave., and were cited last year as among America`s 400 richest citizens, could not be reached. The team has yet to comment on the condition of Halas McCaskey, and so far, Hughes is the only one to report shes currently unwell. Mr. and Mrs. Halas were to have celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary on Friday. Her son Michael McCaskey was President and CEO of the team from 1983 (after Virginia's father George Halas died) until 2011 when his brother George and Ted Phillips took over control. A conga line forms. Officially, she is the secretary of the Bears franchise, as well as a member of the team's board of directors. Virginia raised her 11 children to be Bears fanatics.. Other than salaries for the five brothers who work for the team, the only income the siblings receive is an annual stipend from skybox revenue set up by Halas as a separate partnership in a 1981 corporate reorganization. Bears fans have never understood that the teams connections around the league are Teds, not Georges, and ultimately, itll be Ted that leads the process of finding his replacement inside Halas Hall.. The remaining 49 percent is in a trust administered by Virginia McCaskey on behalf of Mr. Halas Sr.'s 13 grandchildren - Mrs. McCaskey's 11 children plus Christine and Stephen Halas.. Virginia McCaskey votes the stock of the grandchildren. The board voted to buy the stock. The sense I get is people desperately want to see the Bears succeed and it's just ripping their guts out that right now we're not. "We're here and we're staying," Ed McCaskey said. She is known for being "proudly private" pertaining to the team her father built, rarely discussing the business aspect of her life. [10] Team president Ted Phillips currently has operational control; when he assumed the post in 1999, it marked the first time in the NFL portion of franchise history that a Halas or McCaskey had not held that title. "I don't want to say anything and have not said anything about moving the team out of the Chicagoland area, which is much too volatile an issue that cannot be discussed in a rational way. With 10 children, (Tim, her second oldest, passed away in 2011 at the age of 66), McCaskey said she is confident the Bears will be owned by her heirs long after she is gone. Expert faculty solving tomorrows problems today through cutting-edge research. With her at the helm, the seas are calmer, the storms less severe. People . Since then, she's done her best to keep the organization among the most respected in the league. Bayern Munich is keeping pace with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table ahead of the season-defining clash against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. Virginia Halas McCaskey hold 80% & Aon Corporation's executive chairman Patrick Ryan and director Andrew McKenna hold 19.7%. Yet, Mrs. McCaskeys love for the Bears remains unchanged by money or the wrinkles of time. 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 . Her father, George Halas, raised her to love football and left the Chicago Bears franchise to her when he passed in 1983. Laughter fills the marble hall. GALLERY: Meet the McCaskey family, owner of the Chicago Bears. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. We are part of a much larger picture and we have a great deal of responsibility. The two married in 1943. ($2.5 B x 3% = $75M) Ed would wait 25 years to enter the family business but by 1983 he worked his way up the ladder to serve as vice president, treasurer and a clear-voiced leader among the Halas clan. And I pray a lot., Despite some lean seasons in the 1990s at the height of which there was hearsay that the team would be sold; a laughable idea to all who know Virginia Halas McCaskey the Bears have benefitted from excellent leadership. Losing is not part of the legacy. His eldest son, George Jr., had long been deemed heir apparent, but had died of a sudden heart attack four years earlier. . "When she's gone, who's to say?" The family has rarely been in this much turmoil over the last thirty years and there are some close to the organization who believe a sale might actually be on the table once Virginia passes.. The principal owner is Virginia Halas McCaskey, daughter of former Bears coach and owner George Halas. Since we intend to hold it for another 75 years, that question is really immaterial.". But not for Virginia Halas McCaskey. The Bears coordinators spoke Monday at Hallas Hall as they prepare to face the Cowboys at Soldier Field on Thursday. Each year the family holds a drawing to see which family members get to travel to away games (including the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl). The problem is you cannot. So, my dad and mother are G1. Virginia McCaskey is the dominant owner. The only place my dad would permit me to go to school was to go live with Uncle Walter and his family, she says. Each year, there is a two-day Bears family meeting, during which each generation is identified as a cohort atoms of the legacy named according to their descent down the family line. Every other year, she hosts an all-generations gathering at a nearby resort. It read: "A time to remember family.". When his grandfather, George Halas, died in 1983, Virginia took over as the Bears' owner. If and when Phillips retires, who could replace him? [12], On January 21, 2007, she accepted the NFC Championship trophy, which bears her father's name. She is the eldest child of former Bears coach and owner George Halas, who left the team to his daughter upon his death in 1983. view all 13 Virginia McCaskey's Timeline When the family was submerged in ugly court proceedings 11 years ago over the dispersal of Mugs Halas' stock, resulting in the exhumation of Mugs Halas' body to confirm he died of natural causes, Ellen Tonquest expressed serious reservations about the team tearing apart the family. Right now she has everything to say about it, even as she refuses to reveal details she believes are private family matters. The Bears have a chance to extend their winning streak to three Thursday night when the Cowboys visit Soldier Field. Genealogy for Ed McCaskey (1919 - 2003) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. ''Whether the money comes from Bluhm and Malkin or the Bears is not a matter of concern to the estate,'' Eisenberg said. Even before the decision to buy the Halas grandchildren`s nearly 20 percent, Virginia effectively controlled 66.33 percent of club stock. Today, the average NFL team is worth $1.4 bill Virginia McCaskey's father George Halas founded the Chicago Bears and helped create the National Football League.