The VMH Tag on the Chicago Bears Jerseys Has a Wholesome Meaning Behind It
Ben Johnson started out the 2025-2026 NFL season as the team's head coach for the first time in his career.
Published Sept. 9 2025, 11:00 a.m. ET
The start of the 2025-2026 NFL season had fans glued to their televisions, with everyone wanting their favorite team to perform well during the league's opening games. The excitement could be felt in the air.
The Chicago Bears began a completely different chapter in their history. Ben Johnson opened his first season as the team's head coach, and fans wanted to see how he performed.
However, eagle-eyed Chicago Bears fans noticed that the players wore colorful patches in their uniforms. The tags read "VMH," and it appeared that every player on the field had one.
What does VMH mean? Here's what we know about the patches the Chicago Bears wore during their first game of the 2025-2026 NFL season.
What does VMH mean for the Chicago Bears?
According to USA Today, the VMH patches that can be seen on the jerseys of the Chicago Bears are a tribute to Virginia Halas McCaskey. The former owner of the team died in February 2025, months before the new NFL season began.
Virginia led a long, fulfilling life. The former owner of the Bears died at the age of 102, after managing the team for decades. The entire organization was sad about her passing.
The Chicago Bears had also belonged to Virginia's family during most of its history. After the executive passed away, it was expected that her son, George McCaskey, would take over as the next owner of the team.
And that is exactly what happened after the paperwork was cleared out. Every NFL team needs to have a succession plan in place in case an emergency happens. The Bears were ready to figure out their next steps.
The legacy of Virginia McCaskey is impressive.
Virginia inherited the ownership of the Chicago Bears after the passing of her own father, George Halas. The executive was promoted to the main owner of the team in 1983. Right out of the gate, Virginia led the Bears towards winning Super Bowl 20 in 1985.
As of 2025, the achievement remained as the only time the Bears were able to call themselves champions. Winning a Super Bowl solidified Virginia's legacy in the sport.
After walking away as Super Bowl champions in 1986, the Bears reached the playoffs 12 more times before Virginia passed away. The organization continued to make an effort in order for the team to taste glory once again.
Virginia leaves behind decades of finding new ways for the Bears to improve their performance. She will be remembered fondly by all the players, coaches, and executives who got to work with her.
The last major change the Bears organization established before Virginia's passing was hiring Ben Johnson as head coach. The man had just worked with the Detroit Lions for two years by the time in which he was hired by Chicago.