Chicago lost one of its defining football figures Friday morning, as Mike Ditka died at the age of 86.
The news was announced on the air by Jarrett Payton, the son of former Bears running back Walter Payton, during 104.3 The Score in Chicago. Payton later shared the news on social media, along with a statement from the Ditka family.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I’m sharing the Ditka family has announced the passing of Mike Ditka this morning.
Da Coach. Hall of Famer.
The heartbeat of the ’85 Bears and a Super Bowl champion. Chicago won’t be the same.
Prayers to Diana and the family.
RIP, Coach.
Here’s a statement from the family:
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."
Ditka’s football legacy stretched across two careers. First, he helped reshape what the tight end position could be, turning it from a mostly blocking role into a real pass-catching threat. The Bears made him the fifth overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, and he delivered right away with 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie.
Across 12 NFL seasons, Ditka finished with 427 catches for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. He earned five Pro Bowl selections and five All-Pro nods while playing for the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.
After retiring in 1972, Ditka moved into coaching and eventually returned to Chicago 10 years later as the Bears’ head coach. He spent 11 seasons leading the team, posting a 106-62 record with a 6-6 mark in the postseason. His Bears teams had winning regular-season records in eight of those 11 years, and in 1985 he guided Chicago to its only Super Bowl title, a blowout win over the New England Patriots.
Ditka later coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 through 1999, going 15-33 in that stretch.
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