There was no smile on Bears Chairman George McCaskey's face ahead of their game against the Detroit Lions Sunday.
"This whole season has been out of the ordinary, not in a good way," McCaskey said in an exclusive interview with NBC 5's Peggy Kusinski before the game.
George McCaskey, who is named after his grandfather George Halas, admits he has had to restrain himself from reacting emotionally to a disappointing season. That includes not holding any press conferences to assure fans they will right the ship. San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York get criticized for speaking publicly during his team's struggles, so McCaskey has avoided speaking engagements with the press for almost two months.
Media reports of a house cleaning coming at Halas Hall have been fast and furious, changing not just by the day but by the hour. When asked if wholesale changes coming, McCaskey would only say, "The focus is on the Lions [this week]."
Reports last week of an ownership meeting was confirmed by McCaskey, who said the ownership team meets at every game. The meetings include his mother, Virginia McCaskey, and brothers Brian, Ed, Michael and Pat.
McCaskey joined Bears team president Ted Phillips in presenting a television photographer who is retiring with an autographed jersey Sunday before the Bears hosted the Lions.
When asked about last week's 10,000 no-shows in the Soldier Field stands McCaskey had only a brief comment: "It's disappointing, but a fact of the season."
