Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX coach and Hall of Famer, dies at 86

The family's announcement

Mike Ditka died at 86, his family announced on Friday in a statement that called him "our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend." The family said he was "the heart of our family" and that he "will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever." The Guardian reported that a cause of death was not immediately announced, and Deadline noted the statement gave no cause, place or exact date of death. Sportowefakty reported that the news was passed on by Jarrett Payton, son of Walter Payton, who played for Ditka in Chicago.

From the 1961 draft to the Hall of Fame

George Halas's Bears selected Ditka fifth overall in the 1961 draft. He went on to earn Rookie of the Year honours, multiple Pro Bowl selections and the 1963 NFL Championship with Chicago. AP reported that Ditka and Baltimore's John Mackey changed the tight end position and offensive schemes forever. Sportowefakty counts five Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro first-team selections over his playing career. He later played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, and Deadline says he retired after the 1972 season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 as the first tight end enshrined there.

Coaching the 1985 Bears

George Halas hired Ditka as Bears coach in 1982, according to Axios. Deadline reports that his Bears reached the 1984 NFC title game before the 1985 season. The 1985 team lost only one game on its way to the title, and Sportowefakty reports it beat the New England Patriots 46:10 in Super Bowl XX. Ditka was twice voted AP NFL Coach of the Year, in 1985 and 1988, the Independent reported. Axios put his record at 112-68 over 11 seasons as Bears coach, while Sportowefakty gives 121 wins and 95 losses across his NFL head coaching career, including a stint with the New Orleans Saints.

Broadcasting and public life

After coaching, Ditka became a television analyst, starting with NBC in 1993, then CBS in the early 2000s, and ESPN from 2004 through 2015, according to Deadline. Axios reports that he became a national spokesperson for brands such as Coors and Wilson Sporting Goods and opened restaurants. The Hollywood Reporter notes that his persona inspired a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch in the early 1990s, "Bill Swerski's Superfans," created by Robert Smigel and Bob Odenkirk. The same outlet reports heart attacks in 1988 and 2018 and a minor stroke in 2012. Ditka told Rick Telander in April 2019 about his heart.

The thing about me is that people didn't think I had a heart. Now they found out I got one.

Controversies and the media

Axios reports that Ditka was charged with a DUI in 1985 and that his sideline outbursts and public criticism of players and coaches were not well received. He also clashed regularly with local media, sparring with beat writers and sometimes fans. Axios notes that his candour produced memorable lines, including one about the press.

What's the difference between a 3-week-old puppy and a sportswriter? In six weeks, the puppy stops whining.

The Bears said at a 2013 ceremony that his No. 89 jersey will be the last one the team retires.