McCaskey joined the Bears' family-run operation in 1983, succeeding his grandfather George Halas as team president. He assumed the role of chairman in 1999, serving in that position until 2011.
“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.
"Although Mike's passing was not brought on by the novel coronavirus, our family, like so many people, is not able to gather and grieve together at this time. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Our focus in the coming days will be to celebrate Mike's life and be whatever source of support we can be to John and Kathryn and those they love.”
McCaskey oversaw the Bears during eight playoff seasons, including the Super Bowl XX championship in the 1985 season. He was voted NFL Executive of the Year that season.
McCaskey helped guide the Bears' move to the new Halas Hall in 1997 and co-founded the team's charitable arm, Bears Care, in 2005.
“My heart is heavy as I think about Michael McCaskey and can’t believe he is no longer with us,” Bears president Ted Phillips said in a statement. “His fierce love of the Bears was unmatched as was his intellectual capacity and thirst for knowledge on a myriad of subjects. 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. God bless Michael and his family.”
“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," NFL 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 and helped create Bears Care, which became a model foundation in supporting charities throughout the Chicago area.
"Michael was a calm and sound voice in league meetings, befitting of his time as a professor before becoming Bears’ president. We extend our deepest sympathies to Michael’s children Kathryn and John, his mother Virginia and the entire McCaskey family, and the Bears organization.”
A 1965 graduate of Yale, McCaskey spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching science, English and music to students in Ethiopia.
Michael was the oldest of 11 children for Ed and Virginia McCaskey. He's survived by his two children, John and Kathryn, and grandson, Jackson.