Bears Owner Named Hall Candidate

Virginia McCaskey is on the ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The late Chicago Bears owner is one of five candidates vying for the contributor award. The Hall announced the list on Wednesday.

McCaskey served as the Bears' principal owner from 1983 until her death in 2025. She was 102 years old at the time of her passing. Her father, George Halas, founded the team. Under her ownership, the franchise won Super Bowl XX and appeared in one other final.

Four other individuals joined her on the short list. Doug Williams is the first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl. He threw four touchdown passes in a 42-10 win over Denver. Williams spent the last 13 seasons in Washington's front office.

Robert Kraft has owned the New England Patriots since 1994. His teams have won six Super Bowls and made five additional appearances. John Wooten played nine seasons in the NFL and worked in personnel roles for nearly three decades. He has chaired the Fritz Pollard Alliance since 2003.

Ralph Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 to 1922. He hosted the league's formational meeting in his downtown Canton auto dealership.

A 25-person committee will vote for six inductees. Candidates need 80% support to be enshrined. The Hall expects five or six new members to receive enough votes. The selection committee will choose the final class in early 2027.

The Hall changed its contributor rules this year to include on-field playing or coaching careers. A subcommittee narrowed the original field of 42 nominees to the current five. The final ballot will include one contributor, one coach, and 13 players.