Mike Ditka, Hall of Fame Bears Coach and Player, Dies at 86
The Chicago icon led the 1985 Bears to the franchise's only Super Bowl title and revolutionized the tight end position.
KEY POINTS
- Mike Ditka died Friday at age 86; family announced the death without stating a cause.
- He led the 1985 Chicago Bears to the franchise's only Super Bowl title (Super Bowl XX).
- Ditka was the first tight end to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season (1961) and the first inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988).
- He compiled a 106-62 record over 11 seasons as Bears head coach and later coached New Orleans for three seasons.
- The Bears retired his No. 89 jersey in 2013; the Hall of Fame flew its flag at half-staff.
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame tight end and coach who personified the Chicago Bears for decades, died Friday at age 86. His family announced the death in a statement but did not disclose a cause.
Ditka won NFL championships as a player in 1963 and as head coach of the 1985 Bears, who finished 15-1 and routed New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. He remains the only person in league history with a title as a player, assistant coach, and head coach with the same franchise.
“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.”
As a player, Ditka was the first tight end to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season (1,076 in 1961) and the first at his position inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. He also caught a touchdown in Dallas's Super Bowl VI victory.
After coaching Chicago for 11 seasons (106-62), Ditka led New Orleans for three years, famously trading his entire 1999 draft class to select Ricky Williams. He later became a restaurateur, broadcaster, and advocate for retired players' benefits.
The Bears retired his No. 89 jersey in 2013, declaring it the last number the franchise would retire. The Pro Football Hall of Fame flew its flag at half-staff in his honor.
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