Mike Ditka passed away on Friday after an incomparable career in football.

The Pennsylvania native and Pittsburgh alum was a first-round pick in the 1961 NFL and AFL drafts. He signed with the Chicago Bears and quickly became one of the greatest tight ends ever. He earned five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in his first five seasons with the Bears and went on to play 12 years with the Eagles and Cowboys. His abilities as a player saw him inducted in both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Chicago sports radio host Jarrett Payton, whose father played under the coach with the Bears, shared the news of Ditka’s passing on Friday morning.

Legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka has passed away, @paytonsun just learned. https://t.co/2N821GERZS

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) October 9, 2026

But he arguably became even more famous as a coach. Mike Ditka spent several years as an assistant under Tom Landry with the Dallas Cowboys and then signed with the Bears as head coach in 1982. He led the Bears to six NFC Central division titles and famously led one of the greatest teams of all time in 1985, winning Super Bowl XX.

It was also during this time that he was immortalized as one of the great characters to ever grace the game as da coach of da Bears as he became a larger-than-life figure because of his colorful personality. His press conferences and explosive moments were some of the most memorable in sports, and he was a successful commercial pitchman for years. He also showed that personality as coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999, when he famously traded an entire draft class for Texas Longhorns running back Ricky Williams, though they didn’t find the same success as in Chicago.

After his coaching career ended, Mike Ditka enjoyed a lengthy run as one of ESPN’s lead NFL analysts, appearing on Sunday NFL Countdown and other programs. He joined ESPN in 2004 and remained a prominent personality until Matt Hasselbeck replaced him in his full-time role in 2016. In recent years, Ditka moved back to Chicago and was the subject of a moving piece by Dan Pompei at The Athletic last month, showcasing his impact on the city.

Mike Ditka was 86 years old.