Late Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey a contributor finalist for Hall of Fame

Late Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey is one of five contributors who have advanced for a Pro Football Hall of Fame vote.The list of five contributor finalists was whittled down from 42 nominees, the Hall said in a release Wednesday. The contributor subcommittee will meet virtually Nov. 17 to pick one of the five candidates to present to the full selection committee for enshrinement. They would very likely be approved.McCaskey ran the Bears after her father George Halas’ death in 1983. She died Feb. 6, 2025, at 102. Halas founded the Bears and the NFL — the Hall is located on George Halas Drive.The four other finalists are:• Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose teams have won six Super Bowls and played in five more.• Doug Williams, who became the first black quarterback to start and win the Super Bowl as a player for Washington.• John Wooten, a former NFL player and executive who later ran the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which worked to advance minority coaching and front office candidates.