Editing Chicago Bears (section)

===1969–1982: Struggles===
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 12 - Walter Payton (Walter Payton crop).jpg|thumb|Payton set several franchise and NFL records in rushing during his 13-season career with the Bears.]]
After the merger, the Bears finished the [[1970 Chicago Bears season|1970 season]] last place in their division, a repeat of their placing in the [[1969 Chicago Bears season|1969 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1970 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1970.htm |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=October 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007202641/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/1970.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[1975 Chicago Bears season|1975]], the Bears [[1975 NFL draft|drafted]] [[Walter Payton]] from [[Jackson State University]] with their first pick.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/payton-keyed-bears-outstanding-1975-draft|title=Payton keyed Bears' outstanding 1975 draft|website=chicagobears.com|date=April 17, 2020|accessdate=April 15, 2024|archive-date=December 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208060905/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/payton-keyed-bears-outstanding-1975-draft|url-status=live}}</ref> He won the [[NFL Most Valuable Player award]] in the [[1977 NFL season|1977–78 season]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Walter Payton's Statistics|work=Pro Football Hall of Fame|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=174|access-date=June 3, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628020941/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=174|archive-date=June 28, 2006|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Remembering Walter Payton |work=Daily Herald |url=http://www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm |access-date=June 11, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813132908/http://www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm |archive-date=August 13, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Payton would go on to eclipse [[Jim Brown]]'s NFL career [[rush (American football)|rushing]] record in 1984 before retiring in 1987, and would hold the mark until {{nfly|2002}}, when [[Emmitt Smith]] of the [[Dallas Cowboys]] surpassed it.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Smith passes Payton as NFL's career rushing leader|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/|access-date=June 16, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626162916/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/|archive-date=June 26, 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref> Payton's career and personality would capture the hearts of Bear fans, who called him "Sweetness".<ref name="q483">{{cite web | last=Mayer | first=Larry | title=Sweetness left a legacy of love | website=Chicago Bears | date=2023-02-14 | url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/sweetness-left-a-legacy-of-love | access-date=2024-08-02 | archive-date=August 2, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802195745/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/sweetness-left-a-legacy-of-love | url-status=live }}</ref> He died from a rare form of liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 45.<ref name="d335">{{cite news | title=All-Time Rushing Leader Payton Dies of Cancer | newspaper=Washington Post | date=1999-11-02 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/daily/nov99/02/payton2.htm?itid=lk_inline_manual_8 | access-date=2024-08-02 | archive-date=November 22, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122010039/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/daily/nov99/02/payton2.htm?itid=lk_inline_manual_8 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On November 1, 1983, a day after the death of George Halas, his oldest daughter, Virginia McCaskey, took over as the majority owner of the team.<ref name="w943">{{cite web | last=Mayer | first=Larry | title=Mrs. McCaskey 'a source of daily inspiration' | website=Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCaskey 'a daily source of inspiration' | date=2021-03-08 | url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/mrs-mccaskey-a-source-of-daily-inspiration | access-date=2024-08-02 | archive-date=August 2, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802200220/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/mrs-mccaskey-a-source-of-daily-inspiration | url-status=live }}</ref> Her husband, [[Ed McCaskey]], succeeded her father as the chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ed McCaskey |work=Cook County Clerk |url=http://www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm |access-date=December 13, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901175938/http://www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm |archive-date=September 1, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Their son Michael became the third president in team history.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike McCaskey |work=ChicagoBears Official Website |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp |access-date=December 13, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121040604/http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp |archive-date=January 21, 2007 }}</ref> Virginia holds the honorary title of "secretary of the board of directors", but has been called the glue that holds the franchise together.<ref name="luvhsr">{{cite web|title=McCaskey|work=Cranes Chicago Business|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665|access-date=July 12, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515230439/http://www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665|archive-date=May 15, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Virginia's reign as the owner of the Bears was not planned, as her father originally earmarked her brother, [[George Halas Jr.|George "Mugs" Halas Jr.]] as the heir apparent to the franchise. However, he died of a heart attack in 1979.<ref name="y409">{{cite web | title=GEORGE HALAS JR., 54, DIES IN CHICAGO President of Pro Football's Bears Was Son of Team's Founder | website=The New York Times | date=1979-12-17 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/17/archives/george-halas-jr-54-dies-in-chicago-president-of-pro-footballs-bears.html | access-date=2024-08-02 | archive-date=August 2, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802200358/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/17/archives/george-halas-jr-54-dies-in-chicago-president-of-pro-footballs-bears.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Her impact on the team is well-noted as her own family has dubbed her "The First Lady of Sports", and the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' has listed her as one of Chicago's most powerful women.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chicago's Most Powerful Women|work=Chicago Sun-Times| url=http://www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html|access-date=April 24, 2004|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20040511081119/http://www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html|archive-date=May 11, 2004}}</ref>