Mike Ditka, Hall of Fame player and coach, dies at 86

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 18:31 · Archive

Mike Ditka, a Pitt standout and Hall of Fame tight end and NFL coach, has died aged 86.

Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame tight end and NFL coach, has died aged 86. His family announced the news on Friday, saying he will be 'missed beyond measure and remembered forever'.

Born Michael Keller Dyczko on 18 October 1939 in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Ditka was an Aliquippa native who played for Pitt from 1958 to 1960. He earned the nickname 'Iron Mike' for his fierce will to win, including playing through injuries such as a dislocated shoulder. A unanimous All-American in 1960, he was named in receiving three times for the Panthers despite the team's run-first offensive philosophy of the era. His former teammate Foge Fazio, who later coached Pitt, recalled: 'He was like a prize fighter in the ring.'

Ditka went on to become a legendary figure in professional football. He coached the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX and holds membership in four Halls of Fame: the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the University of Pittsburgh Hall of Fame and the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame.

How it is being reported

• Mike Ditka, an Aliquippa native who became a Pitt standout and NFL legend, dies at 86Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · 9 Oct, 16:43
• Pitt great, Aliquippa native, Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka dies at age 86Mike Ditka, who initially cultivated his Iron Mike reputation at Pitt when he refused to leave a game after dislocating his shoulder and who later became a Hall of Fame tight end and coach in the NFL, has died, his family announced Friday.TribLIVE · 9 Oct, 16:19

In this story: Mike Ditka · Pittsburgh · Aliquippa · Chicago Bears · Pitt

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