Longtime Lions Rival Mike Ditka Passes Away

Getty

Former Chicago Bears Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Ditka has died at age 86.

The rivalry between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears is a long and historic one, and one of the central figures of the rivalry was legendary Bears head coach Mike Ditka, who also played for the team during his own playing career.

Sad news was confirmed on Friday by Ditka’s family: he passed away at the age of 86. One of the top figures in NFL history, his passing resulted in an outpouring of sympathy statements from across the sports world.

Longtime Detroit Lions Rival Mike Ditka Passed Away At 86 Years Of Age

Ditka won Rookie of the Year in 1961 and earned five Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors with the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, and was also the first rookie tight end to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

Ditka won an NFL championship with the Bears in 1963 and later earned three Super Bowl rings in different roles, playing for Dallas in its Super Bowl VI victory while serving as an assistant coach for its Super Bowl XII championship. He also led Chicago to a title in Super Bowl XX. He also earned spots on the NFL’s 75th- and 100th-anniversary all-time teams.

Ditka coached the Bears from 1982 to 1992, winning NFL Coach of the Year honors in 1985 and 1988. He later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999. He is one of only two people who won the Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

He is also the only person involved in Chicago’s 1963 and 1985 championships, first as a player and later as head coach.

Mike Ditka Won The Majority Of His Games Coaching Against The Lions

During his coaching career, Ditka got the upper hand against the Lions the majority of the time, going 8-4-1.

His first game against Detroit as a coach came at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1982, which was a 17-10 Lions win. His final game coaching against the Lions with the Bears also came at the Silverdome ten years later, a 16-3 Lions win.