CANTON, Ohio (WGN) — Virginia McCaskey has been named one of 25 candidates for the “Contributor” category in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.

The Hall’s Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee, the body in charge of voting for who is inducted as a contributor, trimmed an original list of 47 nominees to 25 individuals — K.S. “Bud” Adams, Roone Arledge, Chris Berman, Howard Cosell, Otho Davis, John Facenda, Mike Giddings, Ralph Hay, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Don Klosterman, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, McCaskey, Rich McKay, John McVay, Art Modell, Lee Remmel, Eddie Robinson, Art Rooney Jr., Jerry Seeman, Seymour Siwoff, Amy Trask, Jim Tunney, Doug Williams and John Wooten.

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McCaskey became the principal owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983 after the death of George Stanley Halas, and is the longest-tenured owner in the NFL.

She was born on Jan. 5, 1923, nearly three-and-a-half years after Halas founded the Bears (who were originally named the Decatur Stanleys) and spent almost her entire life around football in Chicago.

McCaskey said she attended her first NFL Championship game when she was 8 years old, and was present for the first-ever indoor NFL game later that season.

After high school, McCaskey went to Drexel University where she majored in Business Management, and later became the secretary of the Bears franchise.

Chicago won their first Super Bowl two years into McCaskey’s tenure as owner. The Super Bowl victory came in the middle of five straight NFC Central Division titles from 1984 to 1988, during which time McCaskey also disbanded the team’s cheerleading squad, the “Honey Bears.”

In a one-on-one interview with the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019, McCaskey said she disbanded the Honey Bears in 1986 because she viewed their on-field performances as “sexist and degrading to women.”

When the Bears hit a slump in the 1990s, McCaskey made headlines by firing her son, Michael McCaskey, and replacing him with Ted Phillips as team President and CEO — the first such time a non-McCaskey or Halas was named to a top executive position in Chicago.

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Hall of Fame bylaws stipulate that Committee members vote for 20 individuals at this stage of the selection process, but the bylaws also allow for additional candidates to proceed in the case of any tie votes for the 20th position.

Each Contributor Blue-Ribbon Committee member will cast an additional ballot later in the month of October to reduce the list further – this time to nine (9) semifinalists. Results will be announced in about two weeks.

Earlier this year, the Hall of Fame revised its bylaws beginning with the Class of 2025. Among the changes was a split of the Coach/Contributor category, which was previously combined over the past few election cycles.

Both categories will now send nominees through respective Blue-Ribbon Committees before candidates are considered by the full Selection Committee. The Blue-Ribbon Committees are comprised of nine (9) individuals: seven (7) who also are members of the full Selection Committee and two (2) others who hold full voting rights for this subcommittee only.

Through a sequence of reduction votes over several weeks, the Blue-Ribbon Committee will select one (1) Finalist for the Class of 2025. There is no waiting period (mandatory retirement) for Contributor candidates to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Below are brief bios of the other 24 candidates remaining in the Contributor category for consideration as a member of the Class of 2025.

• K.S. “Bud” Adams: During his 54 years as founder, owner, chairman of the board, president and CEO of the Titans/Oilers franchise, Adams was a pivotal figure in the NFL.

• Roone Arledge: Television industry executive and producer whose creativity, leadership and technical innovations revolutionized the presentation of both news and sports.

• Chris Berman: One of America’s most respected, popular, and in many ways, most beloved sportscasters.

• Howard Cosell: A member of ABC’s original “Monday Night Football” broadcasting team, Cosell worked alongside football legends Don Meredith and Frank Gifford from 1970-1983.

• Otho Davis: Served as associate athletic trainer for the Baltimore Colts in 1971 and the head athletic trainer for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973-1995.

• John Facenda: Beginning his career at NFL Films in 1965 until his death in 1984 at age 71, Facenda narrated numerous films and weekly highlights packages.

• Mike Giddings: Former player, coach and scout who created the NFL talent evaluation and analytics company called Proscout.

• Ralph Hay: Owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-1922 and hosted the NFL’s formational meeting in his automobile dealership in downtown Canton.

• Frank “Bucko” Kilroy: Worked in player personnel and scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys. He was the Patriots’ general manager from 1979-1982 and vice president from 1983-1993.

• Don Klosterman: Built successful teams in three leagues (Chargers, Chiefs and Oilers in the AFL; Colts and Rams of the NFL; and the L.A. Express in the USFL).

• Eddie Kotal: Scout for the Los Angeles Rams from 1947-1961 and was one of the first to scout Black colleges and universities.

• Robert Kraft: Owner, chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots from 1994 to present.

• Rich McKay: General manager, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1994-2003; general manager, Atlanta Falcons, 2003-2008; president/CEO, Atlanta Falcons, 2008 to present.

• John McVay: Joined the 49ers in 1979 as the team’s director of player personnel and spent 21 seasons there, ultimately presiding over five Super Bowl-winning seasons as vice president/director of football operations.

• Art Modell: Owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961-1995 and Baltimore Ravens from 1996-2011.

• Lee Remmel: A sportswriter and columnist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette for 29 years, Green Bay Packers director of public relations from 1974-2004 and Packers’ historian from 2004-07.

• Eddie Robinson: Credited with sending dozens of players to the NFL as coach at the HBCU Grambling State.

• Art Rooney Jr.: Employed with the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1961; from 1964-1986, he worked in the Steelers’ Scouting Department. Currently a Steelers vice president and member of the board of directors.

• Jerry Seeman: Worked as a line judge, head linesman, referee and director of officiating in a career spanning from 1975-2000.

• Seymour Siwoff: Owner and president of Elias Sports Bureau, the official statisticians of the NFL, from 1952-2019.

• Amy Trask: CEO of the Oakland Raiders from 1997-2013.

• Jim Tunney: NFL official from 1960-1991. Worked as a field judge from 1960-67 and a referee from 1968-1991.

• Doug Williams: Career with Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1978-1982) and Washington Redskins (1986-89) included historic moment as first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl (XXII) with an MVP performance; credited with creating opportunities for future Black athletes.

• John Wooten: Director of pro scouting for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975-1991. Created player development programs for the NFL in 1991. Vice president/player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992 and assistant director, pro/college scouting for the Baltimore Ravens until his retirement in 2002.

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