Chicago Bears Icon Mike Ditka, Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XX–Winning Coach, Dies at 86
Chicago
Published · Updated
Summary
- Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame tight end who became the most famous head coach in Chicago Bears history, has died at 86, his family announced Friday.
- Ditka was part of the 1963 Bears team that won an NFL title and later won a Super Bowl as a player with the Dallas Cowboys. He went on to coach the 1985 Bears, one of the greatest teams in NFL history, to the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship.
- Born in 1939, he grew up in western Pennsylvania and rose from a scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh to become the NFL’s rookie of the year and a changer of the tight end position.
- He was also known for his gruff sideline presence and for his work in Chicago after football, including with the Misericordia home for people with developmental and physical disabilities.
- The Bears retired his No. 89 in 2013.
Timeline
The Bears also retired his No. 89 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Soldier Field in 2013.
Ditka stayed closely tied to Chicago as a restaurateur, a commercial pitchman, and a broadcast analyst, and he was closely associated with Misericordia, the Chicago facility serving young people with developmental and physical disabilities.
He won 106 games with the Bears, the second-most of any coach in team history behind Halas. He was fired after the 1992 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999.
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl title. That made Ditka one of only two men to win an NFL title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
He caught a touchdown in Super Bowl VI as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, then joined Tom Landry’s Dallas coaching staff as soon as he retired.
In 1963, Ditka helped the Bears win an NFL championship. After a contract dispute with owner George Halas, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1967 season.
The Bears drafted him fifth overall in 1961. He was named the NFL’s rookie of the year and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
Ditka grew up in the Pittsburgh area and earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All-American tight end in 1960.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said, calling him “the heart of our family.”
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and longtime Chicago Bears coach, has died at the age of 86, according to his family, who confirmed it in a statement Friday.
Incident reported at Chicago.
The Bears also retired his No. 89 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Soldier Field in 2013.
Ditka stayed closely tied to Chicago as a restaurateur, a commercial pitchman, and a broadcast analyst, and he was closely associated with Misericordia, the Chicago facility serving young people with developmental and physical disabilities.
He won 106 games with the Bears, the second-most of any coach in team history behind Halas. He was fired after the 1992 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999.
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl title. That made Ditka one of only two men to win an NFL title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
He caught a touchdown in Super Bowl VI as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, then joined Tom Landry’s Dallas coaching staff as soon as he retired.
In 1963, Ditka helped the Bears win an NFL championship. After a contract dispute with owner George Halas, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1967 season.
The Bears drafted him fifth overall in 1961. He was named the NFL’s rookie of the year and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
Ditka grew up in the Pittsburgh area and earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All-American tight end in 1960.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said, calling him “the heart of our family.”
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and longtime Chicago Bears coach, has died at the age of 86, according to his family, who confirmed it in a statement Friday.
Incident reported at Chicago.
The Bears also retired his No. 89 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Soldier Field in 2013.
Ditka stayed closely tied to Chicago as a restaurateur, a commercial pitchman, and a broadcast analyst, and he was closely associated with Misericordia, the Chicago facility serving young people with developmental and physical disabilities.
He won 106 games with the Bears, the second-most of any coach in team history behind Halas. He was fired after the 1992 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999.
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl title. That made Ditka one of only two men to win an NFL title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
He caught a touchdown in Super Bowl VI as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, then joined Tom Landry’s Dallas coaching staff as soon as he retired.
In 1963, Ditka helped the Bears win an NFL championship. After a contract dispute with owner George Halas, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1967 season.
The Bears drafted him fifth overall in 1961. He was named the NFL’s rookie of the year and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
Ditka grew up in the Pittsburgh area and earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All-American tight end in 1960.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said, calling him “the heart of our family.”
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and longtime Chicago Bears coach, has died at the age of 86, according to his family, who confirmed it in a statement Friday.
Incident reported at Chicago.
The Bears also retired his No. 89 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Soldier Field in 2013.
Ditka stayed closely tied to Chicago as a restaurateur, a commercial pitchman, and a broadcast analyst, and he was closely associated with Misericordia, the Chicago facility serving young people with developmental and physical disabilities.
He won 106 games with the Bears, the second-most of any coach in team history behind Halas. He was fired after the 1992 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999.
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl title. That made Ditka one of only two men to win an NFL title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
He caught a touchdown in Super Bowl VI as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, then joined Tom Landry’s Dallas coaching staff as soon as he retired.
In 1963, Ditka helped the Bears win an NFL championship. After a contract dispute with owner George Halas, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1967 season.
The Bears drafted him fifth overall in 1961. He was named the NFL’s rookie of the year and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
Ditka grew up in the Pittsburgh area and earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All-American tight end in 1960.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said, calling him “the heart of our family.”
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and longtime Chicago Bears coach, has died at the age of 86, according to his family, who confirmed it in a statement Friday.
Incident reported at Chicago.
The Bears also retired his No. 89 jersey during a halftime ceremony at Soldier Field in 2013.
Ditka stayed closely tied to Chicago as a restaurateur, a commercial pitchman, and a broadcast analyst, and he was closely associated with Misericordia, the Chicago facility serving young people with developmental and physical disabilities.
He won 106 games with the Bears, the second-most of any coach in team history behind Halas. He was fired after the 1992 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999.
In 1985, the Bears went 15-1 and beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX, the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl title. That made Ditka one of only two men to win an NFL title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
He caught a touchdown in Super Bowl VI as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, then joined Tom Landry’s Dallas coaching staff as soon as he retired.
In 1963, Ditka helped the Bears win an NFL championship. After a contract dispute with owner George Halas, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the 1967 season.
The Bears drafted him fifth overall in 1961. He was named the NFL’s rookie of the year and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
Ditka grew up in the Pittsburgh area and earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All-American tight end in 1960.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said, calling him “the heart of our family.”
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and longtime Chicago Bears coach, has died at the age of 86, according to his family, who confirmed it in a statement Friday.
Incident reported at Chicago.
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