The NFL and wider football world suffered a massive loss on Friday with the announcement of the passing of legendary former NFL player and coach Mike Ditka at age 86
His family announced the news on Friday morning.
NFL legend Mike Ditka, who revolutionized the tight end position before becoming the head coach of the world champion 1985 Bears and a towering figure in the city of Chicago, has passed away, his family announced. He was 86. pic.twitter.com/vMmsRyj2yj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 9, 2026A Pennsylvania native, Ditka was a 3-sport athlete for the Pitt Panthers, playing football, baseball, and basketball from 1958-1960. He truly shined on the gridiron, earning unanimous first-team All-American honors as a tight end during his junior season in 1960.
The Chicago Bears selected Ditka with the fifth overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, and he went on to have a 12-year, Hall of Fame playing career with the Bears, Eagles, and Cowboys. During his playing days, he hauled in 427 passes for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. He earned 5 Pro Bowl selections, made First-Team All-Pro twice, Second-Team All-Pro 3 times, and helped the Bears win the NFL Championship in 1963 and the Cowboys win Super Bowl VI in 1972.
After hanging up the cleats following that Super Bowl victory, Ditka immediately made the move to coaching, first as an assistant in Dallas, then as the head coach of the Bears from 1982 to 1992.
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His legendary tenure as the head man in Chicago is what he is most known for nowadays, as he led one of the most dominant teams in NFL history for over a decade. During his 11-year stint with the bears, he racked up a 106-62 record, won 6 NFC Central titles, made 3 NFC Championship appearances, and led the franchise to their first and only Super Bowl title in 1986.
After his coaching career, Ditka remained a driving force in the NFL community as a longtime analyst for multiple major studios, including CBS, NBC, and ESPN, until he officially retired for good in 2015.
Very few individuals can say they’ve had the kind of impact on the game of football that Mike Ditka has, and his legacy will continue to live on for many years to come.
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