Mike Ditka, one of the greatest examples of a great player becoming a great coach in NFL history en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has passed away at the age of 86.
The death of one of the NFL's greats was announced Friday morning by his family in a statement.
"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka," the statement said. "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.
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"Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.
"With love and gratitude, The Ditka Family."
Ditka was a great tight end who won the Super Bowl with Dallas, and was a Super Bowl winning coach with the Chicago Bears. He also became something of an iconic figure as fans and celebrities copied his look and imitated his no-nonsense talk.
Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1961, he became the first modern receiving tight end and the first tight end selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ditka won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961 and made five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1961-65 and earned five All-Pro selections.
He played for the Bears from 1961-66, the Philadelphia Eagles from 1967-68 and the Dallas Cowboys from 1969-72, finishing with 427 receptions, 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns.
The Bears called Ditka a proud icon of their organization in a statement on Friday.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of legendary and treasured Chicago Bear and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka," the Bears said in a statement. "Mike’s impact on the Chicago Bears organization, over decades as a player, coach, and proud icon and ambassador for our organization, is immeasurable."
"His integral role in bringing world championships to our city and our franchise, both as a player and as our coach, established prominence and excellence at a world-class level, but also created a lifetime of cherished memories in the hearts and minds of Bears fans that will last for generations. We extend our love, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to the Ditka family, and join all Bears fans in deep sadness and reverence as we remember and honor Mike Ditka."
Ditka played on teams that won the 1963 NFL championship with Chicago and Super Bowl VI with Dallas following the 1971 season.
Ditka retired as a player after the 1972 season, entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
The NFL released a statement on Ditka's passing: "The NFL is deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Fame coach and tight end, Mike Ditka.
"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."
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Most people remember him for reviving a floundering Bears franchise in the 1980s. He definitely did that.
Ditka coached the famous 1985 Bears that rampaged through the NFL with an 18-1 record, losing only to the Miami Dolphins, and then going on to a Super Bowl title.
The Bears blew out the New England Patriots in that Super Bowl.
Ditka began his coaching career immediately after retiring when he joined Tom Landry’s Cowboys staff in 1973 and spent nine seasons as an assistant coach, winning Super Bowl XII during the 1977 season.
He became Chicago’s head coach in 1982 and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1988, coached the Bears through 1992 and later led the New Orleans Saints from 1997-99.
Ditka was a no-nonsense man. He rarely had any filter.
After one particularly disappointing practice while he was with the Saints, Ditka took some of his frustration out on reporters.
His most famous exchange came during a 1999 Saints news conference, when New Orleans was 2-7:
Reporter: "Why are you in such a bad mood?"
Ditka: "What do you care? If you were 2-7, you’d be in a bad mood too."
After he retired from the NFL, Ditka worked as an NBC, CBS and ESPN football analyst, operated restaurants and business ventures, and made public appearances.
He was beloved in Chicago. He was beloved in Dallas.
He will long be remembered as a colorful part of NFL lore.
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