Mike Ditka facts for kids
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Ditka in 2008
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| No. 89, 98 | |||||||
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | October 18, 1939 Carnegie, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Aliquippa (Aliquippa, Pennsylvania) |
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| College: | Pittsburgh (1958–1960) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1961 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 | ||||||
| AFL draft: | 1961 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| As coach: | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||
| Regular season: | 121–95 (.560) | ||||||
| Postseason: | 6–6 (.500) | ||||||
| Career: | 127–101 (.557) | ||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
| Coaching stats at PFR | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Michael Keller Ditka (/ˈdɪtkə/ DIT-kə; born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is a famous American former football player, coach, and TV commentator. He is known for being one of the few people to win a Super Bowl as a player, an assistant coach, and a head coach.
During his playing career, he was a top tight end for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys. He was named UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year in 1961. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl five times and was a six-time All-Pro player. Mike Ditka was the first tight end in NFL history to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in his first season.
He won an NFL championship with the 1963 Bears as a player. He also played on the Cowboys' Super Bowl VI winning team. Later, he won as an assistant coach for the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII. His biggest coaching win was leading the Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX. He is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As the head coach for the Chicago Bears from 1982 to 1992, he was named NFL Coach of the Year twice (1985 and 1988). He also coached the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999. Ditka is often called "Iron Mike" because he grew up in a steel-making town in Pennsylvania.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Mike Ditka was born Michael Dyczko on October 18, 1939, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. This town is close to Pittsburgh. He was the oldest of four children. His family's last name was changed to "Ditka" because "Dyczko" was hard for others to say.
He went to Aliquippa High School. There, he was a star in three sports: football, baseball, and basketball. He hoped to go to college on a football scholarship to avoid working in factories. He chose to play college football for the University of Pittsburgh.
Playing for the Pitt Panthers
From 1958 to 1960, Ditka played football for Pitt. He also played baseball and basketball for the university. He was even an intramural wrestling champion.
In football, he started all three seasons. He led the team in receiving each year. He also played as a linebacker, defensive end, and punter. By his senior year, he was a team captain and was named a unanimous first-team All-American. He finished his college career with 45 catches for 730 yards and seven touchdowns.
In 1986, Ditka was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1997, the University of Pittsburgh retired his jersey number, 89.
Playing Career in the NFL
Chicago Bears Player
The Chicago Bears picked Mike Ditka fifth overall in the 1961 NFL draft. He quickly made a big impact. In his first season, he had 58 receptions and 12 receiving touchdowns. This was a new record for a Bears rookie. He was named UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year. He played for the Bears for five more years, going to the Pro Bowl every season.
He was a key player on the 1963 NFL championship team. Ditka holds several Bears records for tight ends, including 4,503 receiving yards. He is also fifth in team history for receptions (316) and touchdown catches (34).
Time with the Eagles and Cowboys
In 1967, Ditka was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He played there for two seasons. In 1969, he was traded again, this time to the Dallas Cowboys.
With the Cowboys, Ditka was a backup tight end. He played in Super Bowl VI in 1972, where the Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins 24–3. He even caught a touchdown pass in that game.
In 1973, Ditka retired as a player. At that time, his 427 career receptions were the most by any tight end in NFL history.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 1988, Mike Ditka was the first tight end ever to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This honor recognized his great playing career, which included 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was also named to the NFL's 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | ||
|---|---|---|
| Won the NFL championship | ||
| Won the Super Bowl | ||
| Bold | Career high | |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | ||
| 1961 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 56 | 1,076 | 19.2 | 76 | 12 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 1962 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 58 | 904 | 15.6 | 69 | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| 1963 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 59 | 794 | 13.5 | 63 | 8 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1964 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 75 | 897 | 12.0 | 34 | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 1965 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 36 | 454 | 12.6 | 44 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 1966 | CHI | 14 | 14 | 32 | 378 | 11.8 | 30 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1967 | PHI | 9 | 6 | 26 | 274 | 10.5 | 25 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1968 | PHI | 11 | 6 | 13 | 111 | 8.5 | 18 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1969 | DAL | 12 | 4 | 17 | 268 | 15.8 | 51 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1970 | DAL | 14 | 0 | 8 | 98 | 12.3 | 26 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1971 | DAL | 14 | 4 | 30 | 360 | 12.0 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 17 | 198 | 11.6 | 26 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| Career | 158 | 118 | 427 | 5,812 | 13.6 | 76 | 43 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 11 | 0 | 9 | |
Postseason Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | |||
| 1963 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | |
| 1969 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| 1970 | DAL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | |
| 1971 | DAL | 3 | 3 | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1972 | DAL | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | |
| Career | 10 | 6 | 11 | 107 | 9.7 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | ||
Coaching Career Highlights
After retiring as a player in 1972, Ditka became an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He spent nine seasons with them. During this time, the Cowboys often made the playoffs and won Super Bowl XII in 1977.
Leading the Chicago Bears
In 1982, Mike Ditka became the head coach of the Chicago Bears. He promised the team they would reach the Super Bowl within three seasons. He kept his promise. In 1984, the Bears made it to the NFC Championship Game.
The next year, in 1985, Ditka led the Bears to an amazing 15–1 record. They went on to win Super Bowl XX with a dominant 46–10 victory over the New England Patriots. The 1985 Bears defense is considered one of the best in NFL history. Ditka was named NFL Coach of the Year for his success.
The Bears continued to be strong under Ditka. They won their division title in 1986, 1987, and 1988. In 1988, Ditka earned his second Coach of the Year award. He coached the Bears until 1992. His 106 wins are the second-most in Bears history. In 2013, the Bears retired his number 89 jersey.
Coaching the New Orleans Saints
After a break from coaching, Ditka returned to the NFL in 1997. He became the head coach for the New Orleans Saints. The team had not been very successful before he arrived.
In his first season, the Saints finished with a 6–10 record. In 1998, they started strong but couldn't keep up the momentum, finishing 6–10 again. In 1999, the Saints had a tough season, finishing with a 3–13 record. Ditka was fired after the 1999 season.
Overall, in 14 seasons as a head coach, Ditka had a regular-season record of 121 wins and 95 losses. He also had a postseason record of 6 wins and 6 losses.
Head Coaching Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| CHI | 1982 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 12th in NFC | — | — | — | — |
| CHI | 1983 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in NFC Central | — | — | — | — |
| CHI | 1984 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to San Francisco 49ers in NFC Championship Game |
| CHI | 1985 | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 1st in NFC Central | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Super Bowl XX champions |
| CHI | 1986 | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 1st in NFC Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Washington Redskins in NFC Divisional Game |
| CHI | 1987 | 11 | 4 | 0 | .733 | 1st in NFC Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Washington Redskins in NFC Divisional Game |
| CHI | 1988 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in NFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to San Francisco 49ers in NFC Championship Game |
| CHI | 1989 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4th in NFC Central | — | — | — | — |
| CHI | 1990 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in NFC Central | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to New York Giants in NFC Divisional Game |
| CHI | 1991 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in NFC Central | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Dallas Cowboys in NFC Wild Card Game |
| CHI | 1992 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 4th in NFC Central | — | — | — | — |
| CHI total | 106 | 62 | 0 | .631 | 6 | 6 | .500 | |||
| NO | 1997 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4th in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| NO | 1998 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3rd in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| NO | 1999 | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 5th in NFC West | — | — | — | — |
| NO total | 15 | 33 | 0 | .313 | — | — | — | |||
| Total | 121 | 95 | 0 | .560 | 6 | 6 | .500 | |||
Broadcasting and Other Ventures
After his coaching career, Ditka became a popular television commentator. He worked for NBC, CBS Sports, and ESPN, sharing his football knowledge. He also appeared on radio shows.
Ditka has written several books about his life and the 1985 Bears team. He also appeared in video games like Mike Ditka Ultimate Football. He had roles in TV shows like Cheers and According to Jim. In the 2005 movie Kicking & Screaming, he played himself as a soccer coach.
He has also been involved in various businesses. He owns a chain of restaurants called "Ditka's." He also partnered with companies to create his own line of wines and cigars. In 2013, he teamed up with Vienna Beef to make "Ditka Sausages."
In 2020, Ditka became the owner of the X League, a women's tackle football league.
Personal Life
Mike Ditka was married to his first wife, Marge, from 1961 to 1973. They had four children: Mark, Matt, Mike, and Megan. He married his current wife, Diane, in 1977.
He is a practicing Roman Catholic. In November 2012, he had a minor stroke, but he recovered quickly. In November 2018, he was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack while playing golf.
Images for kids
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Ditka in 2008
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Ditka playing for Pitt in 1960
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Ditka (far left) with the 1961 Chicago Bears offensive line
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Ditka's 1963 Topps card
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Ditka presenting a keynote speech in Chicago in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Mike Ditka para niños
