Hall of Famer and NFL Legend Mike Ditka has passed away at the age of 86. He led the 1985 Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl victory. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 becoming the first tight end to enter the hall.
Release from the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER MIKE DITKA
“‘Iron Mike’ brought an unrivaled level of toughness to an era already defined by physicality,” said Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame’s president & CEO, “but he also was much more gifted as a pass catcher than many realized and became the ideal player for Coach George Halas to reimagine the tight end position. Mike brought competitiveness and a hard-nosed play style as he developed into both a fantastic blocker and someone who could punish would-be tacklers on his receptions. “He brought that same philosophy to his coaching,” continued Porter, “leading the famous 1985 team that paired with one of the most vaunted and dominant defenses in NFL history with a top-ranked offense. Mike’s captivating personality and leadership qualities will be preserved and celebrated forever in Canton.”
Ditka, the No. 1 draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1961, introduced a new dimension to the tight end position that once was viewed primarily as an assignment for a more athletic offensive tackle. Ditka proved to be a superior blocker, but he also became one of the first tight ends to catch a large number of passes. He startled opposing defenses with 56 catches for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns in his Rookie of the Year campaign in 1961.
Three years later, he had 75 receptions, a season record for tight ends that lasted until 1980 and the era of the 16-game season. The 6-3, 225-pound native of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, was a consensus All-American in 1960 while playing for the University of Pittsburgh.
He moved into the Bears’ starting lineup at the beginning of his rookie season and didn’t miss any of his 84 games with the Bears. He earned All-NFL honors four consecutive seasons (1961-64) and was a Pro Bowl choice after each of his first five seasons.
He wound up his 12-year career with 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. At the time of his retirement, after the 1972 season, he ranked second among all tight ends in receptions. In 1967, Ditka was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. An injury in the second game that year ended his consecutive-game streak at 86. He missed eight games in two years with the Eagles before moving on to the Dallas Cowboys in 1969.
The fiercely determined and competitive Ditka regained much of his old form in four years in Dallas. His best campaign there came in 1971, when the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl championship. Ditka had 30 receptions that year and scored the final touchdown in Dallas’ 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.
Following his playing career, Ditka entered coaching. He won a Super Bowl ring as an assistant in Dallas and later returned to Chicago as head coach of the Bears. In 11 seasons (1982-1992) there, his teams posted a 106-62 record and rolled to the title in 1985, going 18-1 including the postseason.
He remains one of only two men elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Tom Flores) to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame flag outside the museum will be flown at half-staff in his honor.
