The National Football League, the Bears franchise, and the city of Chicago have lost an icon. Hall of Fame tight end and former Bears and Saints head coach Mike Ditka has passed at the age of 86, his family announced Friday morning.
“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.”
Originally the fifth overall pick out of Pittsburgh in the 1961 draft, Ditka revolutionized the tight end position upon his arrival in Chicago. He made 56 catches for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns – the latter figure being a Bears rookie record – and earned Rookie of the Year honors. He was also named to his first of five straight Pro Bowls.
Ditka never quite returned to his rookie peak, but averaged 53.6 receiving yards and collected 34 touchdowns over his six seasons in Chicago, which included five All-Pro nods (two first-team, three second-team). Ditka helped the Bears to the 1963 NFL championship in his third season.
His production dipped during his final two years with the Bears, eventually leading to a trade to the Eagles in 1967. Over the next five seasons – two in Philadelphia, three in Dallas – Ditka averaged 17.7 yards per game with nine total touchdowns before retiring in 1973. Ditka claimed a second title as part of the Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI-winning team in 1971.
The Cowboys kept Ditka on as an assistant coach under Tom Landry and made three Super Bowls during his tenure, including a win in 1977. He then returned to Chicago in 1982 as their new head coach and quickly built a dynasty. The Bears only won 11 games in his first two seasons but won the division with 10-6 record in 1984 before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion 49ers in the conference championship game.
The following year may be Ditka’s crowning achievement. The 1985 Bears’ defense led the league with just 12.4 points and 258.4 yards allowed per game and paired with a reliable offense anchored by quarterback Jim McMahon and running back Walter Payton. Chicago went 15-1 and won their first Super Bowl as one of the greatest teams of all time.
Ditka’s success continued through 1991, featuring four more NFC North crowns but zero Super Bowl appearances (McMahon injury trouble regularly interfered in the years following 1985). In the interim, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame He was fired after going 5-11 in 1992 and quickly picked up a broadcasting gig with NBC. The Saints came calling in 1997, offering their head coaching job, which Ditka took on for three years with a 15-33 record before his removal — a decision coming months after the HC/personnel czar approved a monster trade-up for running back Ricky Williams in the 1999 draft.
Ditka then returned to broadcasting, working for multiple radio stations and spending multiple years as a color commentator and analyst for ESPN. He continued to be an ambassador for football and served as a key member of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund for former players until his death. He is survived by his second wife, Diana, four children from his first marriage, and several grandchildren.
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