Mike Ditka, the legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and fiery coach who led the 1985 Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl championship, has died at the age of 86, his family announced on Friday.
Mike Ditka passed away leaving behind a legacy as one of the most successful sports figures in Chicago history. His family released a statement sharing the news of his death.
The statement added, While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.
No cause of death was announced by the family.
Revolutionizing the Tight End Position and Playing Career
As a tight end, he led Pitt in receiving and earned unanimous All-America honors in 1960 before being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
The Chicago Bears selected Ditka at No. 5 overall in the 1961 NFL draft. He immediately transformed the tight end spot into a primary receiving threat, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961 and earning five consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1961 to 1965.
During his initial six seasons in Chicago, he recorded 316 receptions for 4,503 yards and 34 touchdowns across 84 games.
Ditka played two seasons in Philadelphia from 1967 to 1968. Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry tossed him a lifeline in 1969, bringing him to Dallas where he played four seasons and won Super Bowl VI. He retired as a player with 427 career receptions and 5,812 yards.
Building the 1985 Championship Team in Chicago
After hanging up his cleats, Ditka spent nine seasons as an assistant coach under Tom Landry in Dallas. In 1981, Ditka penned a letter to George Halas expressing his desire to return to Chicago, earning an endorsement from Landry and securing the Bears head coaching job ahead of the 1982 season.
That prediction materialized in the 1985 season.
Ditka is the only individual in the modern NFL era to win a league title with the same franchise as both a player (1963) and a head coach (1985).
Tenure With the Saints and Later Career
Ditka coached the Bears for 11 seasons through 1992, compiling a 106-62 record with seven playoff appearances and earning NFL Coach of the Year honors in 1985 and 1988. Following his dismissal from Chicago, he spent time as an analyst for NBC and made memorable comedic appearances on Saturday Night Live
as part of the Bill Swerski’s Superfans
sketch.
He returned to the NFL sideline to coach the New Orleans Saints for three seasons from 1997 to 1999. His tenure in New Orleans was highlighted by the 1999 draft day trade giving up eight draft picks to Washington so the Saints could move up and select running back Ricky Williams at No. 5.
Beyond coaching, Ditka became a fixture on television as an analyst on Sunday NFL Countdown. He also built a commercial and restaurant footprint, opening his first steakhouse on Ontario Street in Chicago in October 1986.
Tributes From Across the Football World
Tributes poured in from across sports and politics following the announcement.
“His impact is still being felt to this day, and as the head coach of the Bears, I feel humbled to be in that same chair that he was once in. It’s a sad day hearing that he’s passing on.”
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears head coach, via ESPN
Former players including Tom Thayer highlighted Ditka’s foundational philosophy centered on attitude, character and enthusiasm
.
