Tag: George McCaskey

The Bears held an awkward prayer before asking the public to help fund their $4.6 billion new stadium

The Bears aren’t even pretending to respect their fans.

It is not enough that the Chicago Bears are asking the public for roughly $2.3 billion for a new stadium on the Chicago lakefront. They also have to be impossibly brazen and blatantly disrespectful about it, too.

On Wednesday, before they officially requested that Chicago taxpayers foot half the bill on their giant unnecessary toy in a press conference, the Bears began the session with an awkward prayer in a video from Fox Chicago posted by a Twitter user.

Yes, that is not a parody in the least. Yes, that actually happened. Yes, this is real life. Yes, the Bears clearly think extremely little of their fans if they’re pulling shameless stunts like this:

I was already beside myself that the Bears were going to ask Chicago taxpayers to give them a lot of money they don’t have themselves. But to use religion in any context to try and use regular people as a piggy bank is beyond the pale. It is a new low I did not see coming but probably should’ve expected.

Owner George McCaskey should be thoroughly embarrassed by this display.

Featured image courtesy of Fox Chicago.

Bears still not interested in being featured on ‘Hard Knocks’

Bears chairman George McCaskey hasn’t changed his stance on “Hard Knocks.”

The Chicago Bears are once again eligible to be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series, which offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into an NFL team during training camp and preseason.

Bears chairman George McCaskey has previously made his feelings clear on the matter: He’s not interested in “Hard Knocks,” which many feel would be a distraction.

But with new president Kevin Warren in place, you have to wonder if the organization’s position has changed. According to the Chicago Tribune, when Warren was asked Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings whether there was interest in doing “Hard Knocks,” he chuckled.

“That’s always interesting,” Warren said. “I have interests in making sure that the NFL stays strong and vibrant.”

While Warren didn’t exactly say “no” in his response, McCaskey later offered a firm “no” in response to whether his own stance on “Hard Knocks” had changed.

The Bears are one of three teams that can be forced into doing “Hard Knocks,” which also includes the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints. When looking at those three teams, there’s little doubt Chicago would be the most attractive option for the NFL.

They’re ushering in a new era with projected No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, they have a young, ascending defense, they’re looking to make that next step to contend for the playoffs and they’re one of 10 teams never featured on the show before.

“We’re told there is some interest in other teams being on the program,” McCaskey said. “And we welcome that interest.”

At this point, a team volunteering appears to be McCaskey’s best bet of getting the Bears out of “Hard Knocks.”

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Bears chairman George McCaskey and president Kevin Warren congratulate team’s Hall of Fame inductees

Bears chairman George McCaskey and president Kevin Warren had words of appreciation for Devin Hester, Steve McMichael, and Julius Peppers.

Chicago Bears greats Steve “Mongo” McMichael, Devin Hester, and Julius Peppers were officially elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the NFL Honors Night on Thursday. McMichael and Hester spent the vast majority of their careers in Chicago, while Peppers had four impactful years with the Bears. The other inductees include Dwight Freeney, Andre Johnson, Patrick Willis, and Randy Gradishar. Hester and Peppers were on hand in Las Vegas for the announcement, while McMichael was represented by his wife, Misty. McMichael was diagnosed with ALS in 2021.

Congratulations have been pouring in across social media, and the Bears brass made sure to give their kudos to these legendary players who shined on the lakefront for a number of years. Chairman George McCaskey had words of appreciation for all three inductees via Larry Mayer of the Bears website.

On McMichael, who spent 13 seasons with the Bears, totaled 92.5 career sacks, and was a key component of the 1985 Super Bowl team:

“This honor is well deserved and long overdue and we are so happy for Steve and his family. To be cut by a team early in your career and then go on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a tremendous accomplishment.  Steve showed us all what can be achieved through grit, toughness and hard work, and he has earned his place among game’s immortals.”

On Hester, who became the most dynamic return specialist almost immediately when he was drafted in 2006 and holds multiple special teams records:

“Devin revolutionized the game. No one had seen anything like him, and there hasn’t been anyone like him since. He had opposing head coaches telling their special teams coordinators ‘don’t kick to that guy’ and they suffered the consequences when the message didn’t get through. We’re delighted that the Hall has recognized Devin’s special talents.”

On Peppers, who was a Bear from 2010–2013 and made three Pro Bowls during that time:

“Julius was one of the best free-agent signings in Bears history, and a dominant player on the field. Our congratulations to him.”

In addition to McCaskey, Bears president Kevin Warren also shared his congratulations to all three players on their achievement:

“We are ecstatic and extremely grateful that both Steve McMichael and Devin Hester have been selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both of these men were transformative football players who have always represented themselves, their families and the Chicago Bears with dignity, class and grace. Having Steve and Devin become the 31st and 32nd members of our franchise enshrined into Canton is very memorable and special. We would also like to congratulate Julius Peppers on his enshrinement and we deeply appreciate his positive impact on the Chicago Bears.”

All three players will be enshrined this August in Canton, Ohio.

Bears one of three teams eligible for ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2024

For the second year in a row, the Bears can be forced to appear on Hard Knocks. Will this finally be the year it happens?

The Chicago Bears narrowly avoided Hard Knocks in 2023. Will that be the case in 2024? For the second year in a row, the Bears are one of a few teams in the NFL that can be forced to be the focus of the long-running HBO series Hard Knocks during training camp.

Hard Knocks follows one NFL team throughout their training camp, providing fans with glimpses into players and coaches journeys as they prepare for the upcoming season. Any team can volunteer to be featured, but certain teams can be forced to do it if there are no takers.

If a team has made the playoffs within the last two seasons, has hired a new coach, or has appeared on the show within the last 10 years, they are exempt from that year’s Hard Knocks. The New York Jets were featured last year after the NFL forced them to do it, having been one of four teams eligible. The Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Denver Broncos are the only teams that do not fit that criteria this year.

Halas Hall would make for an intriguing setting for next season’s series, given the possibility of having a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams in the fold as well as boasting an ascending team, particularly on defense. But chairman George McCaskey has been adamant about not having the cameras around in past seasons, and his stance likely hasn’t changed. “We feel there are a number of teams that have compelling stories to tell on Hard Knocks,” McCaskey said during last year’s owners meetings. “31 others,” he clarified.

Time will tell if the league will respect his wishes, but the Bears may not be able to avoid the series this year.

Why the Bears were the only team to vote against expanding NFL’s international slate

The Bears were the only team to vote against expanding the NFL’s international slate. Here’s why:

NFL owners voted to expand the international slate from four to eight games starting in 2025 during Wednesday’s league meeting. It passed by a vote of 31-1. And guess who had the lone dissenting vote: Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey.

According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, McCaskey’s reasoning didn’t have anything to do with leaving the country, rather the lack of control when it comes to protecting certain home games.

In the past, the NFL has allowed teams to protect four home games from being international. But with Wednesday’s vote, it was cut from four to just two games, which means some of those high-profile matchups could be selected to go international.

Per Jones, McCaskey spoke up during the meeting and told others that home fans want to see some of the league’s best quarterbacks and wanted to ensure those games were at Soldier Field. But McCaskey did draw laughs as he went through some of those names.

Here’s how it went down:

“We have generational talents coming in,” McCaskey said, according to a source in the room. “Fans want to see Patrick Mahomes coming in. They want to see Josh Allen coming in. They want to see Jalen Hurts coming in. They want to see Tommy DeVito coming in.”

The room burst into laughter.

“It was the best line of the entire meeting,” one source in the meeting said, adding it was a good-natured and well-received quip.

For what it’s worth, the Bears are set to host the Cowboys, Giants, Browns and Steelers (in addition to their NFC North rivals) in 2025. At this point, Dallas’ Dak Prescott feels like the only high-profile quarterback all but guaranteed to grace Soldier Field.

Next season, the NFL will have a game in Brazil, which will be hosted by an NFC team. London will host three games while Germany also gets a game for a third straight year.

In 2025, that number will increase to eight, including potentially in Spain, which happens to be an international market assigned to the Bears.

NFL owners approve flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football

NFL owners voted to introduce flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football games. The Bears were one of eight teams to vote against it.

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Thursday Night Football is about to get more interesting for the 2023 season. On Monday, the NFL owners voted 24-8 in favor of introducing flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football games from Weeks 13-17. The news was first reported by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. The Chicago Bears and chairman George McCaskey were one of the eight teams who voted no on the rule change.

According to the full resolution shared by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the league must give teams 28 days notice before flexing them from a Sunday afternoon game. Teams are also limited to one flexed game and cannot have more than two games take place on Thursday Night Football.

Since the Bears already play on Thursday Night Football twice, their games will be exempt from getting flexed. The Bears play at the Washington Commanders in Week 5 and at home against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10.

Since Amazon Prime became the new home of Thursday Night Football in 2022, the league has looked to bolster its slate of games with premium matchups. Allowing games to be flexed later in the season provides more competitive games with teams in the playoff hunt, but could make for a sloppier product on the field.

It will be interesting to see how this experiment goes since flex scheduling is only in effect for the 2023 season for the time being. While it won’t impact the Bears, it could affect their opponents or division rivals later on in the season.

George McCaskey has no interest in Bears being on Hard Knocks

The Bears aren’t interested in being on “Hard Knocks.” But that doesn’t mean “Hard Knocks” isn’t interested in them.

The Chicago Bears are one of four NFL teams that are eligible to be on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” in August 2023.

While Chicago has notably turned it down in the past, teams can now be forced into it.

The criteria for “Hard Knocks” is simple: 1) You’d have to miss the playoffs for the past two seasons; 2) You can’t have a first-year head coach; and 3) You can’t have hosted “Hard Knocks” in the past decade.

There are only four teams that meet all of those qualifications: the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Washington Commanders.

But Bears chairman George McCaskey made it clear that he’s not interested in the team being on “Hard Knocks.”

“We feel there are a number of teams that have compelling stories to tell on ‘Hard Knocks,'” McCaskey said, via Kevin Fishbain.

Does that include the Bears?

“31 others,” McCaskey said.

According to Fishbain, the Bears “believe that their training camp access — free to fans — in addition to their in-house productions provides behind-the-scenes access to the team.”

While McCaskey might not want the Bears on “Hard Knocks,” he doesn’t have the ultimate decision. After all, most — if not all — teams don’t want to be on the HBO series. The NFL can force a team to be on it.

And when you look at the four teams that can be forced to be on “Hard Knocks” this season — Bears, Jets, Commanders and Saints — it certainly feels like Chicago could be the most appealing.

They have a young, rising quarterback in Justin Fields, a second-year head coach in Matt Eberflus and a young GM who has been retooling this roster with some impressive new faces, including wide receiver DJ Moore and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

But the one thing that could save the Bears from an appearance would be, ironically, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is expected to be traded to the Jets, and you could certainly see why the NFL would want to spotlight that storyline on “Hard Knocks.”

We’ll see if McCaskey gets his wish.

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Justin Fields is adamant about the Bears getting an indoor stadium

The Bears quarterback isn’t a fan of the cold and windy conditions at Soldier Field and believes it slows him down.

Whether fans like it or not, the Chicago Bears are slowly inching towards a move to Arlington Heights to play in a climate-controlled stadium instead of the outdoor elements at Soldier Field. While some former players have pushed back on the notion of playing indoors, count Bears quarterback Justin Fields as a big fan of the idea.

Fields, speaking on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast this week, expressed his displeasure with adjusting to the bitter cold temperatures and howling winds that can be found at Soldier Field late in the season. “It is very difficult to adjust to it, especially with the wind,” Fields said. “That’s what it’s all about is the wind. It can be cold, it can be 10 degrees. With no wind, you’re fine but with that 15-20 mph wind, you can’t fight it. It’s tough.”

The cold and windy weather at Soldier Field, better known as “Bear weather,” has been considered a key factor for Bears games over the last 50 years. Defensive players love it, knowing opposing offenses will likely struggle. But Fields can’t stand it and even offers up why it puts him at a disadvantage.

“The thing is about that weather, when it’s that cold, you have to bundle up,” Fields said emphatically. “Put a bunch of layers on and stuff like that. Your body’s cold so you’re not warmed up. I feel way slower in that cold weather so it’s tough. You of course want to try and stay warm on the sideline but it’s hard to stay warm in that weather.”

In case he wasn’t clear by those answers, Fields made sure to spell it out. “I hope we just get a dome. I don’t care if we’re at Soldier Field, Arlington Heights, I hope we get a dome.”

It’s not surprising to hear a quarterback talk about wanting to play in warmer elements. But with speed being such an important part of Fields’ game, hearing that he even feels slower in the cold weather puts things in a different perspective. Fields is one of the fastest quarterbacks in the league and has broken multiple runs of 60 yards or more. If he were playing indoors more frequently, would his production increase? Would it improve his scrambling ability?

Fields already set multiple NFL records this past year and became just the third quarterback in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, totaling 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. Interestingly enough, Fields totaled more than 70 rushing yards in all but one game at Soldier Field after the calendar turned to November, though his lowest output did come on Christmas Eve against the Buffalo Bills, one of the coldest games in Bears history. Fields had just 11 yards on seven carries the entire day.

Fields may need to wait a few years, but the Bears continue to move towards a move to Arlington Heights. They’re expected to close on the 326-acre property no later than the end of March and that date could even be pushed up according to ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan. Chairman George McCaskey already indicated last fall the team will look to build an enclosed stadium on the property should the deal materialize, erasing any doubt about any plans for an outdoor field.

For now, however, Fields will need to continue adapting to the cold weather. Hopefully it doesn’t slow him down too much but based on his production last year, he appears to be handling the elements well.

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Grading the Bears’ hiring of Kevin Warren as team president and CEO

The Bears could not have done much better than hiring Kevin Warren to be their next president. Here is our grade of the move.

The Chicago Bears have a new voice at the top of their organization. After rumors swirled the last couple of weeks, the Bears made the official announcement that Kevin Warren will become the new team president and CEO.

Warren comes to the Bears after spending the last few years as the commissioner of the Big Ten. He’s also held front office positions with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings spanning the ’90s into the 2010s. Warren becomes the fifth president in team history, taking over for Ted Phillips who will retire at some point this year.

The decision to hire Warren sends a message that the Bears are going in a new direction with their team. He’s the first president with prior football-related experience outside of the Bears organization and should bring a fresh perspective as they look to forge ahead in new business ventures, most notably the new stadium project in Arlington Heights.

Here is our initial grade of the hiring.

Bears release statements after hiring Kevin Warren as president/CEO

The Bears have made it official: Kevin Warren is the franchise’s new president and CEO. Read statements from George McCaskey and more:

The Chicago Bears have hired Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as their new president/CEO.

Warren will replace Ted Phillips, who’s retiring after nearly 40 years with the Bears. Phillips has served as president/CEO since 1999.

Warren is the fifth president in the franchise’s 103-year history, where he follows in the footsteps of George Halas, George “Mugs” Halas Jr., Michael McCaskey and Phillips. Warren is also the Bears’ first Black president in history.

The Bears will introduce Warren as the new president/CEO in a press conference Tuesday at Noon CT.

Here’s what Bears chairman George McCaskey, GM Ryan Poles, Phillips and Warren himself had to say following the official announcement: