The goal for team chairman George McCaskey and his family is for that tradition to continue and for the Bears to remain under their ownership forever.
"My brother Pat says that we want to own the Bears until the second coming," McCaskey said on the McNeil & Parkins Show on Thursday afternoon. "So, that's the goal. And we have every intention of carrying that out. We don't know what circumstances are going to bring us to challenge that. But that's the goal."
The Bears were founded by George Halas in 1920 and have remained in the family lineage ever since. Halas' daughter, Virginia McCaskey, turned 96 earlier this month but still attends every one of the team's games.
There has long been some speculation that the Bears could change ownership at a time without Virginia, though George, her son, indicated their family wouldn't let that happen.
"We're very strongly in favor," he said. "Across the board."
The Bears' board of directors includes George as chairman, Virginia as secretary and Brian, Ed, Michael and Patrick McCaskey as members.