Mike Ditka, Hall of Fame player and Bears coach, dies at 86

"It is with profound sadness ‌that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend," Ditka's family said in a statement. "While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.

"Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever. "Revered in Chicago and famous ​nationwide as "Da Coach," Ditka was a blunt, straight-talking legend with a devoted following and restaurants bearing his name. He also sold a number of products with his name ​on, including cigars, sausages and wine.

TRANSFORMED THE TIGHT END POSITIONAs a player, Ditka revolutionized the tight end position and was a ⁠five-time Pro Bowl selection while playing with the Bears from 1961-66 before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Dallas Cowboys, where he featured in ​the team's Super Bowl triumph in January 1972.

Selected fifth overall by the Bears in the 1961 NFL Draft, Ditka introduced a new dimension to the tight end position ​that once was viewed primarily as an assignment for a tough, talented blocker.

While Ditka, also affectionately known as "Iron Mike," was a superior blocker, he became one of the first tight ends to catch a large number of passes.

He earned Rookie of the Year honors after becoming the first tight end in NFL history to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season and went on ​to win the 1963 NFL championship with Chicago prior to the start of the Super Bowl era.

At the time of his retirement after the 1972 season, Ditka ​ranked second among all tight ends in receptions, of Fame. He is also the only individual in the NFL's modern era to win a league title ‌with the ⁠same team as a player and head coach.

"Mike's impact on the Chicago Bears organization, over decades as a player, coach and proud icon and ambassador for our organization is immeasurable," the team said in a statement.

"His integral role in bringing world championships to our city and our franchise, both as a player and as our coach, established prominence and excellence at a world-class level, but also created a lifetime of cherished memories in the hearts and minds of Bears fans that will last for generations.

"DITKA 'EPITOMIZED ​FOOTBALL'Following his playing career Ditka became a ​member of Tom Landry's coaching staff ⁠in Dallas where he won a Super Bowl. He eventually returned to Chicago as head coach and turned the Bears into one of the league's most dominant champions.

The Bears team that Ditka led to Super Bowl glory featured one of the most vaunted defenses in NFL ​history and a top-ranked offense. With the likes of Walter Payton, William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Jim Mc.

Mahon and Mike Singletary, the Bears transcended professional sports and ​became a global pop ⁠culture phenomenon after recording “The Super Bowl Shuffle” rap song and accompanying music video that became an unlikely hit. The song was released weeks before the Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl.

At the time, it was the largest margin of victory in any Super Bowl. After the game, the Chicago players carried Ditka, who was wearing a sleeveless ⁠Bears sweater over ​a formal dress shirt and tie, off the field on their shoulders.

"Mike Ditka epitomized football over ​so many years. He brought intensity, authenticity and an unmistakable personality to everything he did," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "As a Hall of Fame player, Super Bowl-winning coach with his beloved and ​iconic Bears, and as a broadcaster, Mike served as an ambassador for the game and inspired generations of fans.

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