Mike Ditka: Difference between revisions

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He was an NFL champion with the 1963 Bears and is a three-time [[Super Bowl]] champion, playing on the Cowboys' [[Super Bowl VI]] team, winning as an assistant coach for the Cowboys in [[Super Bowl XII]], and coaching the Bears to victory in [[Super Bowl XX]]. He washas been named to the NFL's 75th- and 100th-Anniversary All-Time Teams.

He is known by the nickname "'''Iron Mike'''", which he has said comes from his being born and raised in a [[steel]] town in [[Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Getting Down and Dirty with 'Da Coach'|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=75|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=October 1995|pages=114–116}}</ref>

==Early yearslife==

Ditka was born as Michael Dyczko, inon theOctober [[Pittsburgh]]-area18, town1939, ofin [[Carnegie, Pennsylvania]], onnear October 18[[Pittsburgh]], 1939. Thethe oldest child of Charlotte (Keller) and Mike Ditka Sr.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19981115ditka9.asp|title=Obituary: Mike Ditka: Aliquippa resident, father of Saints coach|publisher=Old.post-gazette.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=October 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018013117/http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19981115ditka9.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> heHe grew up in nearby [[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania|Aliquippa]]{{r|price20110131}} with siblings Ashton, David, and Mary Ann. His father, a welder, was one of three brothers of a Polish<ref name=roots>{{cite web|url=http://abc7chicago.com/archive/9281089/ |title=Ditka putting name on Polish sausage |publisher=ABC 7 Chicago|access-date=October 9, 2013}}</ref> and [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]]<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/hof-ditka.asp |title=Mike Ditka page on |publisher=Chicagobears.com |access-date=September 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220123238/http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/hof-ditka.asp |archive-date=December 20, 2007 |url-status=dead }} Quote from article: "Mike's childhood name was Mike Dyzcko. His father was one of three brothers of a Ukrainian family in the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing area in Western Pennsylvania"</ref> family in the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing area in [[Western Pennsylvania]]. His ancestry on his mother's side is Irish and German.<ref name="bookref1">{{cite book|last1=Othello Harris|first1=George Kirsch|last2=Claire Nolte|title=Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2000|location=Westport, Connecticut|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofet0000unse_u6f6/page/132 132]|isbn=0-313-29911-0|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofet0000unse_u6f6/page/132}}</ref> The Ukrainian surname "Dyczko" was difficult to pronounce in his hometown, so the family name was changed to "Ditka".<ref name="autogenerated1" /> Ditka attended St. Titus School.

UnderDitka head coachattended [[PressAliquippa MaravichJunior/Senior High School|Aliquippa High School]], Ditkawhere he was a three-sport star atunder head coach [[Press Maravich]]. While at Aliquippa High School]]., Thethe team doctor, John L. Miller, took Mike and other players to [[Pitt Panthers football|Pitt football]] games and encouraged them to play for Pitt. Ditka is quoted as saying, "Doc Miller patched me up many times". Ditka hoped to escape his hometown's manufacturing jobs by attending college with a football scholarship. PlanningInitially planning to become a dentist,<ref name=price20110131>{{cite news|last=Price|first=S.L.|title=The Heart Of Football Beats In Aliquippa|url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Over+five+decades+of+economic+decline+and+racial+conflict%2C+-+01.31.11+-+SI+Vault&urlID=445388322&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffanyv88.com%3A443%2Fhttp%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1181210%2Findex.htm|access-date=February 6, 2011|newspaper=Sports Illustrated|date=January 31, 2011|archive-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927085619/http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Over+five+decades+of+economic+decline+and+racial+conflict%2C+-+01.31.11+-+SI+Vault&urlID=445388322&action=cpt&partnerID=289881&fb=Y&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffanyv88.com%3A443%2Fhttp%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1181210%2Findex.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> he was recruited by three [[UniversityNCAA ofDivision I]] teams, [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]], [[Penn State]], andNittany theLions [[Universityfootball|Penn of PittsburghState]], and Pitt.

[[file:Ditka1960Crop Owl61pg183.jpg|thumb|Ditka in 1960 playing for [[Pitt. Panthers football|Pitt]] in 1960]]

Ditka played for[[college thefootball]] Universityfor of[[Pitt PittsburghPanthers football|Pitt]] from 1958 until 1960, where he also became a member of the [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity. Heand was a three-sport athlete at Pitt, also playing [[college baseball|baseball]] (outfielder) and [[college basketball|basketball]] (forward) for the [[Pitt Panthers]].<ref name=PittRetiredJersey>{{cite web|title=Pitt Retired Jerseys: #89 Mike Ditka|url=http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/ditkaretiredjersey.html|publisher=[[University of Pittsburgh]]|access-date=December 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011003314/http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/ditkaretiredjersey.html|archive-date=October 11, 2013}}</ref> He also was an intramural [[scholastic wrestling|wrestling]] champion. at Pitt, and a member of [[Sigma Chi]] fraternity]]

In 1986, Ditka was enshrined in the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bryant Inducted Into Hall Of Fame|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11212867/bryant_inducted_into_hall_of_fame/|access-date=May 24, 2017|work=Logansport Pharos-Tribune|agency=United Press International|date=December 10, 1986|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1997, his 89 jersey number was retired by the University of Pittsburgh at halftime of the game against the [[Miami Hurricanes football|University of Miami]]. In 2018, he was inducted into the inaugural 16-member class of the University of Pittsburgh Athletics Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pittscriptforlife.com/sports/2019/6/14/hall-of-fame-class-of-2018.aspx|title=Hall of Fame: Class of 2018|work=University of Pittsburgh LifeStyle|date=September 7, 2018|access-date=March 24, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:8X10A 1961 Chicago Bears o-line practice 1.jpg|thumb|left|The [[1961 Chicago Bears season|1961 Chicago Bears]] offensive line in action: , "Bears Workout at Soldier Field for Armed Forces game Friday";, with Ditka isvisible on far left]]

Ditka was selected by the Chicago Bears fifth overall in the [[1961 NFL draft]], while the [[Houston Oilers]] drafted him eighth overall in the first round of the [[1961 AFL Draft]]. He signed with the Bears and his presence was immediately felt. In his first season, Ditka had 58 receptions, introducing a new dimension to a tight end position that had previously been dedicated to blocking. He also scored 12 receiving touchdowns, which was the most by a Bears rookie.<ref name="Ditka infographic" /> His success earned him [[UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year]] honors. He continued to play for the Bears for the next five years, earning a [[Pro Bowl]] trip each season.

[[File:1985 Chicago Bears Visit the White House.webm|thumb|"1985 Chicago Bears Visit the White House', a 2011 video of the Ditka and the Bears' visit to the [[White House]] after winning [[Super Bowl XX]]]]

In 1985, Ditka led the Bears to a 15–1 record, and he was named [[Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year Award|NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press]] following the regular season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ditka named Coach of Year|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11212040/ditka_named_coach_of_year/|access-date=May 24, 2017|work=The Salina Journal|agency=Associated Press|date=December 28, 1985|page=15|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Football commentators widely regard the 1985 Bears defense as one of the best.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} ItThe 1985 Bears defense was masterminded by defensive coordinator [[Buddy Ryan]], with little oversight from Ditka; in fact, Ditka and Ryan had a largely adversarial relationship dating back to Ditka's hiring as Ryan, who was already on the coaching staff when Ditka joined the Bears, felt that he should have been promoted into the head-coaching position. Although the two men continued to work together, the relationship continued to deteriorate,. and withWith the Bears trailing by three touchdowns in a late-season Monday- night game against the [[Miami Dolphins that resulted in]], the team's only loss, Ryan finally snapped after Ditka, as he recounted in 2006 for [[NFL Network]], told him that the defensive scheme was not working. The two began throwing punches at each other and had to be separated, and. Ditka said that the relationship, at that point, the relationship became unsalvageable. In an unusual gesture, following the Bears Super Bowl victory, the players carried both Ryan and Ditka off the field. In addition, the 1985 Chicago Bears are one of several teams to consistently challenge the undefeated [[1972 Miami Dolphins season|1972 Miami Dolphins]] for the unofficial title of the "Greatest NFL Team of All-Time".<ref name="Greatest NFL Teams of All Time">{{cite web|url=httphttps://espnwww.goespn.com/page2/s/list/football/teams/greatest.html |title=Greatest NFL Teams of All Time |publisher=ESPN |date=August 14, 2002 |access-date=September 1, 2011}}</ref> The NFL Network series ''[[America's Game]]'' rated the 1985 Bears as the second-best Super Bowl champion, only behind the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

In 1986, Buddy Ryan left in 1986Chicago to become the head coach of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]. When asked if he was happy Ryan was gone, Ditka replied he was not happy, but "elated". In [[1986 Chicago Bears season|1986]], [[1987 Chicago Bears season|1987]], and [[1988 Chicago Bears season|1988]], the Bears won the Central Division title and earned three home playoff games. The first of those years saw the Bears finish the regular season with a 14–2 record to tie the [[Super Bowl XXI|eventual Super Bowl champion]] [[1986 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] for the best in the entire league. However, the Bears were upset by the [[1986 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] in their first playoff game. The next year, the Bears finished second in the NFC with an 11–4 record, but were again upended by the [[1987 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] en route to that team's second [[Super Bowl XXII|Super Bowl]] victory of the decade. The Bears finished 12–4 in 1988 and got homefield advantage. They defeated Ryan's [[1988 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] in the [[Fog Bowl (American football)|Fog Bowl]] in their first game, but the team was defeated by the [[Super Bowl XXIII|eventual Super Bowl champion]] [[1988 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] in the NFC Championship Game. This was the third time in five years that Ditka led the Bears to the NFC Championship Game, and was the last time they advanced this far until [[2006 Chicago Bears season|2006]].

The Bears started 4–0 in [[1989 Chicago Bears season|1989]], but a series of last-second losses eventually led to a complete meltdown at the end of the season, as the Bears finished 6–10. The Bears rallied to win a weak Central Division in [[1990 Chicago Bears season|1990]] and make the playoffs as a wild card in [[1991 Chicago Bears season|1991]], but were eliminated convincingly in the early rounds by the [[1990 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] (who went on to win [[Super Bowl XXV]]) and the [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]], respectively. After dropping to 5–11 in the [[1992 Chicago Bears season|1992 season]], the Bears fired Ditka on January 5, 1993. His 106 wins are the second-most in Bears history, behind only Halas.<ref name="Ditka infographic" />

On December 9, 2013, Ditka's Bears jersey, number 89, was retired in a halftime ceremony during a ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game in Chicago as the [[2013 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] hosted the [[2013 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]], for whom Ditka also played and worked as an assistant coach under the late Tom Landry. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, and go Bears!" Ditka told the crowd.<ref>{{cite web|last=Greenberg|first=Jon|url=httphttps://espnwww.goespn.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/10112315/chicago-bears-retire-mike-ditka-no-89-jersey|title=Mike Ditka gets jersey retired|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=December 9, 2013|access-date=February 2, 2014}}</ref>

The low point of the season came three weeks later in a loss to the [[1999 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]], which was the Saints' 10th in 11 weeks. Ditka came into the postgame press conference appearing emotionally exhausted, and said he felt his charges “broke” him. He then said the Saints would be better off hiring someone else to coach the team, claiming he was the "wrong guy" to lead them and that "[he] didn't have it anymore", saying "God puts people in places for reasons, and he probably put me here to be humbled. I deserve it."

Ditka said that he did not feel the Saints had much talent on the offensive side of the field, blaming himself for that and saying that he had let the players down by not having them ready. He also cited the Saints’ lack of playmaking ability, as they dropped several passes and failed to take advantage of three Falcons fumbles while turning the ball over seven times themselves. Ditka was asked if he felt the team had quit on him, which he denied; however, when he was asked if he was thinking about leaving immediately he responded affirmatively. However, Ditka also said that he would not do it unless he knew for certain he would be fired before the end of the year. Before leaving the press conference, the defeated Ditka called himself a "hypocrite" and said the entire exercise was "silly".

Ditka appeared in several ads for [[Montgomery Ward]] in the early 1990s, promoting their electronics and appliances department, known as ''Electric Avenue''. Ditka also starred in ad for 'Big Shot' soda in 1997. In the videogame [[Deltarune]], this ad is referenced by the character [[Characters of Undertale and Deltarune|Spamton]], who talks about becoming a '[[BIG SHOT]]' with his friend 'Mike' in the year 1997.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iWx2T8mm_o |title=Spamton Shop All Dialogue - Deltarune Chapter 2 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-15 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

In January 2007, Ditka used the Super Bowl return of the Chicago Bears as a platform to promote efforts by many early NFL players trying to raise support for former NFL players in need of money and medical assistance; he is a key member in the [[Gridiron Greats]]. Angry at the wealthy NFL for ignoring the players who helped to create the league, Ditka and other former players have since been attempting to raise funds, in the words of Hall of Famer [[Joe DeLamielleure]], "for guys who made this league and built it on their backs, their knees, their legs and now they're all broken down and they can't even get a decent pension."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2007/02/retired_nfl_pla_1.html |title=Retired NFL Players |work=Sun-Sentinel |date=February 2, 2007 |access-date=September 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716164304/http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2007/02/retired_nfl_pla_1.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> Ultimately, however, in December 2007, Ditka folded his "Hall of Fame Assistance Trust Fund" charity amidst revelations that, "in 2005, the group gave out more money to pay celebrities to play golf than the group in its entire three years of operation gave out to injured players", according to Laurie Styron of the American Institute of Philanthropy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=97946&ref=rss |title=Charity Run By NFL Legend Mike Ditka Folds |publisher=Firstcoastnews.com |access-date=September 1, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> During [[Super Bowl XLIV]], Ditka (who was not in the original group) joined other members of the 1985 Chicago Bears in resurrecting the "[[Super Bowl Shuffle]]" in a [[Boost Mobile (United States)|Boost Mobile]] commercial.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jon|last=Greenberg |url=httphttps://sportswww.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/columns/story?columnist=greenberg_jon&id=4827883 |title=Chicago Bears' 'Super Bowl Shuffle' an enduring, endearing sports moment |publisher=ESPN |date=January 15, 2010 |access-date=July 6, 2012}}</ref>

Ditka was married to his first wife, Marge, from 1961 to 1973.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-09-02-9203190887-story.html|title=OFF-FIELD DISTRACTIONS COST IRON MIKE DEARLY|last=Keteyian|first=Armen|date=September 2, 1992|website=Chicago Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-22}}</ref> They had four children together, Mark, Matt, Mike and Megan. He married his current wife Diane (née Trantham) Ditka in 1977.

In the midst of a successful [[1988 Chicago Bears season|1988 season]], he suffered a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]], but bounced back quickly. In November 2012, he suffered a minor [[stroke]] at a suburban country club in Chicago. Later in the day, Ditka reported he was feeling "good right now and it's not a big deal."<ref name="Ditka stroke">{{cite web|url=httphttps://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000095975/article/mike-ditka-suffers-very-minor-stroke-says-heshe-s-ok-0ap1000000095975|title=Mike Ditka suffers 'very minor stroke,' says he's OK|publisher=[[National Football League]]|date=November 16, 2012|access-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref>

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