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Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey recently confirmed the team’s pursuit of quarterback Tom Brady during the 2020 free agency period. In an interview with ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, McCaskey reflected on the Bears’ efforts to sign Brady before he ultimately joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McCaskey’s comments followed Brady’s revelation during Fox’s Week 4 broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. During the broadcast, Brady mentioned that the Chicago Bears were “very stealth in their recruitment” as they attempted to lure him after he left the New England Patriots.
Speaking with Cronin, McCaskey said, “That seems like ancient history at this point. I do remember we were interested in pursuing him. It didn’t work out for us. Worked out great for him in Tampa.”
Bears explored multiple quarterback options, including Tom Brady, after Trubisky's 2019 struggles
At the time, the Bears were coming off a disappointing 2019 season, where former first-round quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had struggled, and the team missed the postseason a year after winning the NFC North.
McCaskey explained that the team explored several options during the free agency period. “Any time you're in a situation like that, you're not putting all of your eggs in one basket. You're looking at alternatives. It’s the same in free agency, it’s the same in the draft. If the person you're targeting isn’t available, you want to make sure you’ve done your due diligence on all other options. So that was one option that we were looking at.”
While the Bears didn’t land Brady, they turned their attention to quarterback Nick Foles, acquiring him via trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2020. Foles went on to compete with Trubisky for the starting role that season.
Monsters of the Midway prepare rookie QB Caleb Williams for NFL spotlight
Now, four years later, the Bears are looking ahead with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, whom they drafted first overall. McCaskey also discussed Williams' development and the structure the team has built to support him.
“I think it's gone very well,” McCaskey said. “We wanted to have a structure in place for him to succeed, and a lot of that was protecting him from the inevitable distractions when you're the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears. Everybody wants some of your time, and unfortunately, in order for him to do his job properly, he doesn’t have time for everyone. We have to protect him, we have to act as buffers, and I think we have a good support system in place for him.”
McCaskey also praised Williams’ “irrepressible spirit,” highlighting his work ethic and leadership qualities as essential to his smooth transition to the NFL.
Heading into their Week 6 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bears sit at 3-2 and will face off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London at 9:30 a.m. ET.
