The Chicago Bears have lost one of their greatest. Mike Ditka, legendary coach and tight end for the Bears has passed away at the age of 86. The man put together a career in the NFL that many coaches and players only dream of, and he leaves behind a legacy that towers above many others.
As a man born in 1995 in the suburbs of Chicago, it's difficult to put into words how large of a shadow this man really cast. Ten years out from the Bears legendary Super Bowl in 1985 is a long time past, but the remnants of that fateful team were still abundant, and you can still see them today.
Even prior to this unfortunate event, you couldn't attend a Bears game without seeing at least a couple people dressed as Ditka. That old school sweater vest, the distinctive mustache and of course the signature cigar. Even to this day, I answer my door on Halloween and I'll get at least one kid dressed as Ditka.
"While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever."Statement from the Ditka family
Ditka's passion for the game was something that was felt across generations. His legendary feud with Buddy Ryan is something my father talks about with glee, and if you're reading this right now and you've never watched anything on the Fog Bowl, I urge you to do so. Two titans of coaching that loathed each other so much that they forced a game that couldn't be seen is something that will live among the greatest games in the long history of the NFL.
Ditka changed what a tight end could be, and then he moved on to coach one of the most famous teams the game has ever produced. It's certainly the most famous team Chicago has ever had. Players may pass his records, but they can never pass what he meant, and still means, to the city of Chicago. Da Bears will forever be telling his story.
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