Mike Ditka, a tenacious tight end for the Chicago Bears who relished each collision and fought for every yard, and a Super Bowl-winning Bears coach who was so well-known for his sideline rants that he became a symbol of competitive fire, died Friday. “Da Coach,” as he was commonly known, was 86.

The death was announced by his family through Jarrett Payton, the son of former Bears running back Walter Payton. No further details were provided.

Ditka, who at times could be a bully, more often exuded a kind of crusty charm that fans found endearing. He was glib and amusing and opinionated. After leaving football, he became one of the sport’s most visible and enduring talking heads, working as an analyst for NBC, CBS and finally ESPN.

Nowhere was he more esteemed than in Chicago, his adopted home, where he was exalted as someone who epitomized the city’s grit. He was viewed as tough and authentic, a man who spoke his mind no matter the consequences.

To a large degree, the Windy City felt in his debt. He starred on the 1963 Bears, a team that won the NFL title, and he coached the 1985 Bears to the franchise’s only Super Bowl victory, a 46-10 win over the New England Patriots.

Ditka favored a basic style of play that he called “Bears football,” taking the game back to its primal roots: Hit the other guy harder than he hits you. With a protruding chin, combed-back hair and bushy mustache, he even resembled the fierce bear on the team’s emblem. He certainly could growl.

Chicago’s affection for its coach was the subject of several memorable sketches on “Saturday Night Live.” Devoted Bears fans, always shown seated in a restaurant and gorging themselves with meat and beer, extolled their hero, claiming “Da Coach” could win a game even without his players. They prayed, “We thank God and Ditka for all they have provided.”

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Barry Bearak/Fred R. Conrad
c. 2026 The New York Times Company