Legendary NFL head coach and former Dallas Cowboys tight end Mike Ditka has died at 86, according to multiple reports on Friday morning.
Ditka played for the Cowboys on their first Super Bowl-winning team in 1971 — a Super Bowl VI win over the Miami Dolphins — then gained international fame as the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1982 to 1992, including a 15-1 regular season in 1985 followed by a blowout win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
Ditka also won an NFL championship with the Bears as a player in 1963 and is one of just two people in NFL history, along with Tom Flores, to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
“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,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Friday morning. “He was 86.”
Ditka also played 2 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1967 and 1968. He was also the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.
Ditka’s family issued a statement to announce his death: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka. 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. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever. With love and gratitude, The Ditka Family.”
First Tight End Inducted Into Pro Football HOF
Before he became famous as the Bears’ head coach, Ditka was a generational player who redefined the tight end position—a player who would have dominated in any era.
The Bears selected Ditka in the 1st round (No. 5 overall) of the 1961 NFL Draft after he was named a unanimous All-American at Pitt, and he became the first tight end in NFL history to exceed 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie — something he did when the NFL was still playing a 14-game regular-season schedule.
Ditka was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961 and over 12 seasons was a 5-time NFL All-Pro, 5-time Pro Bowler and named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary and 100th Anniversary Teams. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 — the first tight end to enter the Hall of Fame.
Ditka’s Head-Coaching Career Infiltrated Culture
Ditka’s fiery temper and larger-than-life persona defined his head-coaching career —including his famous clashes with Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and his decision to trade his entire 1999 draft class plus the Saints’ 1st-round pick in 2000 to move up and select University of Texas running back Ricky Williams at No. 5 overall.
Ditka went 112-95 in 14 seasons as head coach of the Bears and Saints, including 7 playoff appearances in 11 seasons with the Bears.
One of Saturday Night Live’s most famous skits — “Bill Swerski’s Superfans” — also known as “Da Bears” skit, was directly inspired by Ditka.
“RIP to football’s ultimate badass,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote on his official X account on Friday.
RIP Mike Ditka
Legendary NFL Head Coach and Former Cowboys TE Mike Ditka Dies