Images: Chicago Bears Icon Mike Ditka
Ditka, who coached the 1985 Bears to the franchise’s only Super Bowl championship, has died at age 86.
Nobody embodied Chicago Bears football more than Mike Ditka, who became the face of the franchise as both a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and a Super Bowl-winning coach.
Bears coach Mike Ditka congratulates quarterback Jim McMahon during a playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams during the 1985 Super Bowl run. That championship team held so much promise that never was realized in the years to follow.
Daily Herald File Photo
An almost mythical figure after his 1985 Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, Coach Mike Ditka eventually fell out of favor and was fired.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mike Ditka was a Bears’ first-round draft pick of 1961. Mike Ditka (89), of the Chicago Bears, stumbles as he picks up 15 yards on a pass play from quarterback Rudy Bukich, but is grounded by Green Bay’s Tom Brown (40) in the fourth quarter of their National Football League game Sunday, Oct. 16, 1966, in Chicago. Ray Nitschke (66) moves in on the play.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Saints defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, left, talks with Mike Ditka prior to the game.
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
As coach of the Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears, Mike Ditka presents a team jersey to President Barack Obama during a long-awaited celebration in 2011. Ditka later said in a speech that his “biggest mistake” was not running against Obama for the U.S. Senate, defeating him and keeping him out of the White House. Ditka did not predict that he could have been President Ditka or say if DitkaCare would have covered cigars and preexisting sausages.
Associated Press
When coach Mike Ditka took the Bears’ shuffling crew to New Orleans for the Super Bowl in 1986, his instructions to the team would have fit in a text message: No curfew the first three days. No fooling around after that.
Associated Press File 1990
Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka smiles as he leaves the field.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka leaves the field after his number retirement ceremony.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Former Bears head coach Mike Ditka signs bottles of his wine in St. Charles. He's one of a handful of former NFL greats with his own line of wine — any of which would make a nice addition to a Super Bowl party.
Daily Herald file photo
FLASHBACK TO DEC. 9, 2013: Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka speaks during his number retirement ceremony during halftime of the Bears’ win over the Dallas Cowboys. The game-time temperature was 8 degrees.
Daily Herald file photo
Former Bears’ defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan gives a ‘thumbs-up’ as he walks in with former head coach Mike Ditka and President Barack Obama during an event honoring the 1985 Super Bowl XX Champions at the White House.
Associated Press/2011 file
Mike Ditka, former Chicago Bears player and coach.
Daily Herald file photo
Bears head coach Mike Ditka leads his team during a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on Nov. 27, 1988.
Daily Herald file photo
Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka in 2019.
Associated Press
New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka, right, yells at official Bill Lovett during he first half the Saints 20-3 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Nov. 23, 1997. (AP Photo/Alan Mothner, File)
AP Photo/Alan Mothner
Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka talks with quarterback Mike Hohensee during NFL football practice, Thursday, Sept. 25, 198, in Lake Forest, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Bennet, File)
AP Photo/Charles Bennet
Big Mike Ditka, named lineman of the week by The Associated Press, looks over film of the Notre Dame squad with Pitt coach Johnny Michelosen, Nov. 2, 1960 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/File)
AP Photo/WFS
Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka surveys the field against the Atlanta Falcons during the 1985 season at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Dave Tonge/Daily Herald)