Biography

Player, coach and broadcaster – Mike Ditka is one of North America’s most recognizable sports personalities. After being All-American at the University of Pittsburgh, Ditka was drafted fifth overall by the Chicago Bears in 1961 and won Rookie of the Year. He played in Chicago for six seasons and played in the Pro Bowl each of those years. After a stint in Philadelphia, Ditka went to the Dallas Cowboys where he helped them win their first Super Bowl (1972). After his retirement, he was an assistant coach with Dallas for nine seasons. Offered the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job, Ditka went on to lead a football renaissance in the Windy City. The Bears won the Super Bowl in 1985, the same year that Ditka won Coach of the Year. He would win the same award in 1988. After spending 11 seasons with the Bears, Ditka became a broadcaster with NBC. He returned to coaching with the New Orleans Saints for three years and is now a football analyst with CBS.