Ditka Football
FILE - In this Jan. 26, 1986 file photo shows, Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka reaches out to shake hands with New England Patriots coach Raymond Berry after the Bears won the NFL football Super Bowl XX game in New Orleans.
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Mike Ditka, who personified the toughness and grit of Chicago in a Hall of Fame career as a player and coach of the Bears and the leader of arguably the most dominant team in NFL history, has died. He was 86. Nicknamed “Iron Mike” as a player, Ditka helped revolutionize the tight end position. He was the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He moved to the sidelines and took over as Chicago’s coach. His 1985 team featured one of the game’s most dominant defenses ever. After retiring as a coach, Ditka became a restaurateur and TV personality.
Mike Ditka was “Iron Mike” as a player who revolutionized the tight end position and later b…
