Remembering Mike Ditka, 1939-2026

The football world is celebrating the life of Mike Ditka, whose adopted hometown of Chicago embraced his rough-and-tumble, blue-collar approach to the game as a player and coach who helped bring two NFL championships to the city.

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 1988, Ditka died at the age of 86, his family announced Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.