When Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey met the media on Wednesday morning in the team’s season-ending press conference, the first words out of his mouth were about the COVID-19 pandemic.
He spent time offering his support to those impacted by the virus, and saluted essential workers for their efforts over the past year. He then recognized the league and key members of the organization for their hard work to maintain a safe environment, most notably head athletic trainer Andre Tucker, for his role in keeping the facilities clean and ensuring the team was compliant in the league’s protocol.
The pandemic created a surreal football landscape at Soldier Field, one that was devoid of fan attendance, tailgates in the south parking lot, intimate media access and much more. While the football was the same, the atmosphere surrounding it was completely different. It’s probably a significant reason why general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy still have jobs today.
It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous for many businesses and individuals over the last 10 months. It’s changed the way we all live and has presented numerous challenges no matter what line of work you’re in. It’s truly nothing to make light of, but when you peel back the curtain, it likely had an impact on this year’s Bears team as they grinded through a unique season.
