Sports · Press ✓ 9 outlets
Mike Ditka, the Chicago Bears coach and Hall of Famer, dies at 86
Mike Ditka, the Chicago Bears player and head coach, died at age 86, according to NBC, CBS, ABC, The Guardian, The New York Times, AP, the Los Angeles Times and CNA. The Los Angeles Times said he was the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and CBS said he led the Bears to their only Super Bowl title. The 1985 Bears won it. The coverage we saw did not give a cause of death.
Ditka is one of the best-known names in the NFL and the face of Chicago football for decades.
If you follow the Bears or the NFL, expect tributes through the weekend.
A career as a player, assistant and head coach with the same franchise is rare. Look for the team’s tribute and any funeral plans.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 6 · October 10, 2026