Mike Ditka, the first tight end ever enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and famous coach of Da Bears, died Friday at 86, his family announced.
Ditka was the beginning of a slow change to the tight end position. When the Chicago Bears took Ditka fifth overall in 1961, tight end was largely a blocking job. He changed that for the Bears immediately. As a rookie he caught 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns, making him the first tight end to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He went to five Pro Bowls in six years in Chicago and won the 1963 NFL title. He finished his career with 427 catches, the most ever by a tight end until Kellen Winslow passed him in 1980. He also won Super Bowl VI with the Cowboys.
The Hall of Fame came calling in 1988, and Ditka became the first player at his position inducted. He had previously been a finalist in 1981, but didn’t make the finalist list again until his election in 1988.
In May 2013, the Bears announced they would retire Ditka’s #89, and chairman George McCaskey added that it would be the last number the team would retire. Having already retired more numbers than any other team, he said there was “no more appropriate one than 89,” to be the final one. The ceremony came at halftime of a Monday night game against the Cowboys on December 9, 2013, and Ditka became the 14th Bear so honored, joining Nagurski, Grange, Halas, Payton, Butkus and Sayers. Nearly 13 years later, his is still the most recent number the franchise has retired.
Ditka remains the only person in the modern era to win a championship with the same team as both a player (1963) and a head coach (1985), when he led the Bears to a 15-1 season and a 46-10 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
Where does he rank among the best #89s? We haven’t done 89 yet in our By the Numbers series, but that might be an afternoon project for us now. Sneak preview: Gino Marchetti & Ditka are probably at the top of our list, ahead of Steve Smith Sr., with Dave Robinson, Mark Bavaro, Frank Wycheck and Wes Chandler fighting for the next few spots.
Sad news-one the greatest TEs in NFL history (often forgotten or underrated when people debate top TE of all time these days) plus long history as HC especially with the 1985 Bears.
And as Cowboys fan I have recently been lamenting the loss of so many 1960s/early Cowboys players..and that like Ditka, the remaining PFHOFers are now all in the 80s..with very uncertain futures-Howley (90),BLilly (87), LAlworth (86), Mel Renfro (84),Staubach (84).. now as to date only about 1/2 of the starters on the SBVI team as still with us
Mike Ditka was one of the first great TE’s. The first TE HOFer. I would put him in the top echelon with all of them.
He was a great character for the NFL as well. :) The way he dealt with Ricky Williams wearing a dress for a photo shoot was priceless with Ditka wearing a dreadlock wig. LOL He certainly had loosened up by the time he was Head Coach of New Orleans. He seemed like he really enjoyed life in his old age. RIP Mike Ditka.
ZoneBlitz should do a “by the numbers” for Ditka’s number 89. That would be a tough one, :)
RIP
Iron Mike
Cowboys were never the same team after he and Dan Reeves left as assistant coaches
Only Bears coach to win a SB
Was good as a tv analyst/panel member as well. Insightful and funny. Other people would announce baseball or basketball … Ditka would say “who cares?
Actually met him at a sports collectibles show in the Detroit area in early 2000s-had chance to chat and he signed a few photos for my collection
Dallas Cowboy’s great CB Cornell Green passed away. RIP “He never missed a game during his entire 13-year playing career, recording 34 interceptions.” Does he belong in the HOF? His name doesn’t come up often.
RIP Ram’s great RB Lawrence McCutcheon. I loved watching him chew up yards.
RIP
Lawrence McCutcheon
He could run the ball but lost out to injuries at the time the Rams lost the SB to Pittsburgh
Cornell Green does have a case for the HOF, but its doubtful he will ever get elected. Especially with Harris getting voted in.
Despite 34 interceptions, Gil Brandt joked that Green could have had alot more with better hands …
Green seems to fall into that (large) group of players with 3 first team all pro deserving consideration-but have no all decade, hard to separate that resume from the others and elevate any to level of elected (and unfortunately now virtually impossible)…and that includes his teammates Ralph Neely (3-first team)+all decade team, and John Niland (3-first team)
I have same reservations about giving him place on Cowboys ROH which is one of the best franchise honors that has some fair exclusivity, add Green there then one needs to also consider Neely, Niland, HMartin, Ed Jones, Everson Walls
To be honest Paul, I dont feel Jones will add any more Landry-eras players, including Harvey Martin.
Sad, actually.
Brian what makes you think that
I would agree Brian, Jones put those deserving Landry era Cowboys in ROH, including those heading into PFHOF, he has no interest in others, every year they fade further back in time and none have strong cases for PFHOF….Witten will be the next one, and perhaps Romo, followed by ZMartin and TSmith once they get on PFHOF ballot
Let’s not forget he also hasn’t added Clint Murchison to the Cowboys Ring of Honor it’s like he wants fans to forget about him come on Jerry it hasn’t just been you owning the Cowboys
Could be that Jones wants fans to just think of the era of his ownership, frankly more likely I suspect its just he’s more inclined to honor his guys and less interested in the longer history of the franchise. If you tour the stadium or the Star they actually have plenty of displays from entire history of the franchise and the ROH does include many Landry era players, with several because of Jones.
Well that needs to change
perhaps…but its his franchise, his “house” and his rules as to whom is selected – and I for one am not going to fret over it
Sorry Paul, but I dont think he will add Romo either. Just didnt do enough.
Jones was (and remains) a huge fan and friend of Romo, perhaps its less likely now due to his off field legal issues and that Dak has surpassed all his team career passing records, but its not out of question that Jones still puts Romo in one day-as he loves that guy-not that I agree but just pointing out its possible
But yes next ROH is going to be Witten-likely in next few years
I think Jason Witten gets in after he gets inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame