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Former Chicago Bears chairman Michael McCaskey, the grandson of George Halas, who led the franchise for three decades, died on Saturday after a battle with cancer, the team said in a statement. He was 76.
McCaskey was the son of current team owner Virginia McCaskey, who was Halas’ daughter.
Michael McCaskey became the team president in 1983, and he held the position until 1999. During his tenure, the Bears made 12 playoff appearances, and won their lone Super Bowl title in 1985, behind one of the greatest defenses of all-time, and McCaskey was honored as the NFL Executive of the Year by his peers.
FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2007, file photo, Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCaskey and Chairman of the Board Michael McCaskey, left, react as they are presented with the George S. Halas Trophy after the Bears' 39-14 NFL football win over the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC championship football game, in Chicago. Making the presentation are Fox broadcasters Tony Dorsett and Terry Bradshaw, right. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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“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.”
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McCaskey, who served on several NFL committees, was a key reason 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.
“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.”
FILE - In this Tuesday, May 8, 1984, file photo, Walter Payton, right, a veteran Chicago Bears player and one of the National Football League's premiere running backs, signs three 1-year contracts as Mike McCaskey, president of the Chicago Bears, smiles during the news conference at the Bears' NFL football summer training camp in Lake Forest, Ill. (AP Photo/John Swart, File)
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McCaskey, a Yale graduate in 1965, played on the school's football team. He also taught business at both UCLA and Harvard.
“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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.