Mike Ditka, the legendary former Chicago Bears coach and first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died at the age of 86, his family announced Friday.
Ditka rose to national prominence after leading the 1985 Bears, a team that boasted arguably the greatest defense in NFL history, to the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” his family said in a statement. “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.