In honor of Women's History Month, the Chicago Bears look forward to celebrating and highlighting the incredible achievements of women across the organization and the sports world. From groundbreaking leadership within the team, to championing the growth of women's flag football, the Bears are continuing to take meaningful steps to empower and uplift women in sports.
The Bears will celebrate Women's History Month this year in honor and remembrance of Virginia Halas McCaskey. As the matriarch of the Chicago Bears and 'First Lady of the National Football League,' her life and legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. This month, through the theme of 'Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations' the Bears will recognize the achievements and contributions of women in sports, celebrating women in the organization and community through a series of events and activations.
"As we celebrate Women's History Month, I am proud to be part of an organization that values both diversity and innovation while actively working to create opportunities for everyone," said Karen Murphy, executive vice president of stadium development and chief operating officer. "I have seen firsthand the impact of Title IX and the power of sports to shape confidence and camaraderie and am excited to continue paving the way for future generations. Together, we are breaking down barriers, inspiring women to lead, and ensuring that the legacy we build today will inspire the leaders of tomorrow."
The Bears continue to lead the way in professional sports when it comes to women in leadership, with five women serving on the club's executive board, including Murphy. This historic achievement further acknowledges the team's ongoing commitment toward empowering women and fostering diversity at the highest levels.
Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren was recently recognized at the NFL Scouting Combine for his inclusive leadership and commitment to advancing women in sports with the second-annual Buddy Teevens Forward Progress Award at the NFL Women's Forum. Warren has been a strong advocate for women throughout his career, displaying this value over the past two years with the Bears. From empowering women to join his executive team to overseeing a groundbreaking girls flag football program, he has consistently championed female representation and inclusion in the NFL.
While Warren received the award, he made it clear that the honor is for the entire Bears organization for their dedication to creating a diverse and inclusive environment at the club.
"Today is another day to show how powerful women are in the NFL," Warren said. "It means so much to me to accept this award on behalf of the Chicago Bears. George McCaskey has been a trailblazer in this space. We had the most powerful woman ever in the history of the NFL in Virginia Halas McCaskey, it is really in honor of her."
The Bears remain unwavering in their dedication to advancing women and girls in sports at all levels. In recent years, the team has been a strong advocate for girls flag football, both within Chicagoland communities and internationally. This Women's History Month, the Bears continue their efforts, further solidifying their role as pioneers in this space.
In celebration of International Women's Day, the Bears will host the first ever collegiate women's flag football game in the state of Illinois between Rockford University and Benedictine University. The event, hosted on the Halas Hall campus at the Walter Payton Center on Saturday, March 8, at 6:15 p.m., is another historic milestone in the Bears commitment to scaling girls and women's flag football. Between the two teams, 13 of the athletes were former Illinois high school players, getting their start in programs the Bears helped develop.
In just over a year since girls flag football was officially sanctioned as an IHSA sport, there has been significant progress and numerous achievements to celebrate and recognize:
- In October, William Fremd High School won the first ever IHSA state championship. In the same month, the Bears' sponsored girls flag team from Spain won the International Championship held around the London Games.
- In November, the Bears hosted the top 56 players from Illinois for the All-State dinner, awarding top honors to the talented group.
- In December, the Chicago Bears Player of the Week and Coach of the Week award recipients were honored at Soldier Field during the Dec. 22 game.
- In February, three Illinois athletes were invited to compete at the Flag Showcase at the Pro Bowl, representing the Bears and Illinois.
- And just recently, the Bears awarded the Flag Football Changemaker Scholarship to three Illinois athletes who will continue their flag journeys at the collegiate level.
Internationally, the Bears are excited to continue the spread of flag football. The Bears will visit the UK to kick off the third year of international flag leagues, as well as continue their youth and girls flag development programs in Spain. This year, the Bears will reach the milestone of serving 1,000 girls flag players internationally.
The Bears are grateful to celebrate the success of their efforts to grow the game of flag football, while also spotlighting the incredible women within their organization. This month, the team will host a Women's History Month Panel, showcasing female employees from across the Bears organization and sharing their unique journeys to their current positions. The event will be available on LinkedIn, YouTube and ChicagoBears.com.
In addition, the Bears are excited to announce the launch of the Women's Employee Resource Group (ERG). The new program is designed to support and empower women and advocates across both the football and business sides of the organization to help strengthen the community of women within the Bears.
