Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame tight end who reshaped his position and then coached the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl title, died Friday at 86, his family announced in a statement.
«It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,» the family 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.»
President Donald Trump learned of the death from the press pool on the South Lawn before departing for Syracuse on Friday. «Oh, he did? He was a great guy. He was with me all the way. He was tough,» Trump said. «Mike Ditka — that’s a sad one.» He added: «He was great. He was a big supporter of mine, and he was a winner. He was a tough cookie.» Ditka had backed Trump ahead of the 2016 election.
Ditka’s playing career made him a prototype for the modern tight end. Drafted by the Bears in 1961, he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season and went on to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1961 through 1965, along with five All-Pro selections. He played for Chicago from 1961 to 1966, the Philadelphia Eagles from 1967 to 1968 and the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1972, finishing with 427 receptions, 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns.
He won championships as a player on two teams: the 1963 NFL title with the Bears and Super Bowl VI with the Cowboys after the 1971 season. He retired following the 1972 season and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, becoming the first tight end selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As a coach, Ditka took over the Bears in 1982 and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1988. His 1985 team rampaged through the NFL with an 18-1 record, losing only to the Miami Dolphins, before winning the Super Bowl. He coached Chicago through 1992 and later led the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.
Beyond the field, Ditka became a cultural figure whose look and no-nonsense talk were widely copied by fans and celebrities. His death drew immediate reaction across the football world and beyond, with tributes recalling both his playing greatness and his larger-than-life coaching persona.
Ditka’s family asked for privacy as they mourned. «He was the heart of our family,» the statement said, a reminder that the man known to millions as a gridiron legend was, to those closest to him, a husband, father, grandfather and friend.