CHICAGO —
Legendary coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka has died. He was 86.
Ditka, nicknamed “Iron Mike” for his toughness, rose from a standout athlete in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, to become a legendary NFL player and coach.
He stayed close to home for college, attending the University of Pittsburgh, where he also played three sports: football, baseball, and basketball. On the football field, Ditka played on both sides of the ball as a tight end and defensive lineman, earning All-American honors.
He once said, “I was probably a better defensive player,” and thought he might be drafted as a linebacker.
Instead, the Chicago Bears selected him as a tight end with the fifth overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft. His pass-catching ability was immediately showcased, helping to revolutionize the tight end position.
Ditka won championships as a player with the Bears and Cowboys and later led the Bears to a Super Bowl victory as head coach, becoming an enduring icon in Chicago. His influence extended into pop culture, inspiring look-alike costumes and becoming a recurring subject of the “Superfan” skit on “Saturday Night Live.”
In 1988, Ditka became the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ditka’s family announced news of his death on Friday. “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” his family said in a statement to ESPN.
A cause of death has not been released.
Ditka suffered a pair of heart attacks, including one in 1988 while he was Bears coach, as well as a minor stroke in 2012.
This story is developing.
