Legendary head coach Mike Ditka died at the age of 86 on Friday. A football giant, Ditka is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former tight end won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961 with the Chicago Bears after racking up 1,076 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in his first NFL season — the perfect way to start a 12-year career that saw him win Super Bowl VI with the Dallas Cowboys.
Ditka retired following the 1972 season and began his coaching career as an assistant under Tom Landry in Dallas. The Cowboys made three Super Bowls during his tenure, winning one (XII). In 1982, the Bears, who drafted Ditka No. 5 overall out of Pittsburgh, hired him to be their new head coach.
Chicago made the NFC Championship game in 1984, and then went 15-1 in 1985 on the way to a Super Bowl XX win over the New England Patriots. It remains the Bears’ lone Super Bowl title.
Ditka registered seven double-digit win seasons in his 11 years with the Bears, won NFL Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1988, and made seven playoff appearances with three NFC Championship appearances. His 106 wins rank second in franchise history behind George Halas, who coached Chicago for four decades. No Bears head coach has held their post for more than nine years other than Ditka and Halas. He wrapped up his coaching career with the New Orleans Saints, going 15-33 over three seasons.
“Mike Ditka epitomized football over so many years,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He brought intensity, authenticity, and an unmistakable personality to everything he did. As a Hall of Fame player, Super Bowl-winning coach with his beloved and iconic Bears, and as a broadcaster, Mike served as an ambassador for the game and inspired generations of fans. Through his work with the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, Mike was a champion for taking care of those who helped build our game. We extend our deepest condolences to Diana and the Ditka family.”
Ditka is one of two men to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head coach in NFL history, joining fellow Hall of Famer Tom Flores. Reactions around the football world poured in to mourn the loss of a legendary leader. That includes Walter Payton’s son, Jarrett, who shared a statement from the Ditka family.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka. 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. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever. With love and gratitude, The Ditka Family.”
