Mike Ditka

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ditka's arrival in Chicago in 1961 changed the tight end position forever. Selected fifth overall by the Bears, he recorded 58 receptions and 12 receiving touchdowns in his first season, introducing a new dimension to a role previously dedicated solely to blocking. During the 1963 NFL championship season against the Los Angeles Rams, he tied Harlon Hill's franchise record with four receiving touchdowns in a single game. Over six seasons in Chicago, he posted 316 receptions for 4,503 yards and 34 touchdown catches. His time with the Bears ended bitterly; after failing to reach a contract agreement with owner/head coach George Halas, Ditka played out his option in 1966. He famously stated that Halas "threw nickels around like manhole covers." Before leaving for the Eagles, reports noted he had signed a $300,000 contract with the Houston Oilers on February 8, 1967. Known as "Iron Mike," a nickname derived from his upbringing in a steel town in Pennsylvania, Ditka also made headlines on September 16, 1966, for decking fan Felix Carbajal who had run onto the field during a loss to the Rams.

In Their Own Story

Ditka's journey from player to champion coach began after he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on January 28, 1969. Serving as an assistant under Tom Landry for nine seasons, he won six division titles and three NFC championships, including a Super Bowl victory in 1977 as an assistant coach. In that role, he joined an elite group alongside Tom Flores as the only people to win a Super Bowl as a player, assistant, and head coach. His return to Chicago as head coach in 1982 marked a new era. He was named AP and UPI NFL Coach of the Year twice, in 1985 and 1988. The pinnacle arrived when he coached the Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX. This achievement made him one of only four people in modern NFL history—alongside Flores, Gary Kubiak, and Doug Pederson—to win a championship as head coach of a team for which they previously played. In 2018, his legacy was further cemented when he was inducted into the inaugural class of the University of Pittsburgh Athletics Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Fans exploring Ditka's career should note his unique statistical dominance at Pitt and in the NFL. At the University of Pittsburgh, he started all three seasons (1958–1960), leading the team in receiving each year while also playing baseball and basketball. He finished college with 45 catches for 730 yards and seven touchdowns, earning unanimous first-team All-America honors as a senior. In the pros, his 427 career receptions were the most by a tight end in NFL history at the time of his retirement in 1973. His career total reached 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns, including two scores on offensive fumble recoveries, tying seven other players for the most in NFL history. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 as the first tight end to receive the honor, he was also named to the NFL's 75th- and 100th-Anniversary All-Time Teams. His jersey number 89 was retired by Pittsburgh in 1997. Beyond football, Ditka became the owner of the X League (formerly the Lingerie Football League) in 2020.

Did You Know?

• Ditka was born Michael Dyczko; his family changed the name because others in his hometown found it hard to pronounce.
• He is the only person to participate in both of the last two Chicago Bears' league championships: as a player in 1963 and head coach in 1985.
• In 1961, he became the first tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie season.
• He tied seven other players for the most offensive fumble recovery touchdowns (two) in NFL history.
• As a college player at Pitt, he was an intramural wrestling champion and played three sports: football, baseball, and basketball.