JIM GRAY: Mike Ditka did it his way. Football will never see another like him
Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach who led the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX, died on 9 October aged 86. Jim Gray remembers him as a defining figure in American football and Chicago life whose influence reached across sport and popular culture.
Gray, who worked with Ditka on radio for nearly a decade, describes a tough, generous, funny and unpredictable man who was deeply loved by players, colleagues and even critics. He recalls Ditka travelling to introduce him at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony and praising his work, saying that success comes with critics.
- Mike Ditka died on 9 October aged 86.
- He led the Bears to the Super Bowl XX title.
- Jim Gray recalls their friendship and Ditka’s lasting impact.
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American football is played by two teams that try to carry or pass the ball into the other side’s scoring area. The Chicago Bears are one of the sport’s oldest teams, and their win in Super Bowl XX, the championship game for the 1985 season, became a landmark in the club’s history.
Mike Ditka first became known as a player, then built a second career as a coach. His place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame reflects his achievements on the field and on the sidelines, while his long association with Chicago made him a prominent figure beyond sport.