Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame tight end who later coached the Chicago Bears to their Super Bowl XX championship, died Friday at 86. His family announced his death in a statement shared by Jarrett Payton and reported by NFL.com.
The statement did not identify a cause of death. The Bears and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also issued statements recognizing Ditka’s career.
Ditka entered the NFL with Chicago in 1961 and won the league’s Rookie of the Year award. He helped the Bears win the 1963 NFL championship before playing for Philadelphia and Dallas. His playing career produced 427 receptions, 5,812 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns over 12 seasons.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. As Chicago’s head coach from 1982 through 1992, he led the 1985 team to a 15-1 regular season and a 46-10 Super Bowl victory over New England.
Ditka also won Super Bowls with Dallas as a player and assistant coach. He later coached New Orleans and worked as a television football analyst.
