in a statement in part, <\/a>“Mike’s life was defined by an unyielding work ethic, a fierce love for the game, and a relentless determination that helped reshape American football.<\/p>\n“As a pioneer on the field, he revolutionized the tight end position, playing with a signature passion that earned him enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame before bringing that same legendary competitive fire to the sidelines.<\/p>\n
“We proudly honor his chapters as a head coach in New Orleans. While his time leading our franchise on the field was brief in longevity, his presence left an indelible mark on our organization. “<\/p>\n
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also paid tribute to Ditka, saying, “Da Coach was not only an icon in Chicago, but the entire football world. Our thoughts are with Mike Ditka’s family, friends, and Bears fans today. May his memory be a blessing.”<\/p>\n
Former President Barack Obama said in a statement, “When I got to Chicago in the summer of 1985, Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears were king. Coach Ditka set the tone for a team that was punishing, dominant, and fun \u2014 and the city loved him for it. I’m thinking of the Ditka family and Bears fans everywhere on the passing of a legend.”<\/p>\n
Ozzie Guillen, a like Ditka played and coached for a Chicago team, tweeted, “Coach, man, we had some great times, laughs, and memories over the years. Always admired your style. Thank you for the talks, advice, and friendship.
Chicago lost a legend Rest easy, Coach”<\/p>\n
In memory of Ditka, the Willis Tower’s antennas will glow orange and blue Friday night.<\/p>\n
Ditka’s restaurant in Oakbrook Terrace said, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our founder and partner, Mike Ditka. We join the nation in sending our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones. Coach was an incredible man who lived an extraordinary life. We loved him dearly and are honored to carry on his legacy. Please join us in respecting his family’s privacy as they grieve.”<\/p>\n
Chicago Bears fans and longtime admirers of Mike Ditka reflected on his legacy Friday, remembering the Hall of Famer and Super Bowl-winning coach as an authentic Chicago figure whose impact extended far beyond football.<\/p>\n
Chicago Bears fans reflected on Mike Ditka’s legacy, remembering him as an authentic Chicago figure whose impact extended beyond football.<\/p>\n
From his career as a Hall of Fame tight end to coaching the Bears to their last Super Bowl championship, Ditka’s name became synonymous with Chicago football. For many fans, the loss of “Da Coach” was deeply personal.<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t totally absorb it that we lost a great coach, a great part of Bears history, a great part of Chicago’s history,” said Bears fan Brian Evans.<\/p>\n
Many fans said they not only remembered Ditka’s success on the field but also appreciated his presence in Chicago long after his coaching career. Ditka owned restaurants and remained a visible public figure in the city for decades.<\/p>\n
Jose Rivera, a Bears fan who worked security for Ditka at an event several years ago, said he still treasures a photograph taken with the former coach.<\/p>\n
“So now I have that photo. Nobody can ever get a photo of him again. So it’s kind of nice being able to have that,” Rivera said.<\/p>\n
Ditka also left an impression on local businesses. At Manny’s Deli, owner Dan Raskin recalled the former Bears coach as a loyal customer.<\/p>\n
“He was a great customer. Loved his corned beef sandwiches, and just he was a real Chicagoan. He really liked authentic Chicago and saying hi to people, and just a regular guy,” Raskin said.<\/p>\n
While dining at the deli, Bears fans reflected on what Ditka represented both as a player and a coach.<\/p>\n
“He really lived the part of what a football player was about, and then he could coach it, which not so many good players can do,” said Bears fan Dave Cook.<\/p>\n
Ed Shurna recalled taking his son to meet Ditka at one of his restaurants.<\/p>\n
“We went to his restaurant. Mike was upstairs, and we went to see him. And my son wanted to shake his hand, and Mike’s hand enveloped my son’s hand,” Shurna said.<\/p>\n
For Bears fan Josephine Reidy, Ditka’s toughness was matched by a personal warmth.<\/p>\n
“He just he loved the people. He loved his players. He loved the sport, you know. And he was tough, but under that, I think it was a very warm person,” Reidy said.<\/p>\n
Fans repeatedly described Ditka as tough, legendary and uniquely Chicago, qualities they said defined both his football career and his connection to the city. For many, those memories remain an enduring part of his legacy.<\/p>\n
Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka’s legacy will forever be immortalized in pop culture.<\/p>\n
Copyright \u00a9 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CHICAGO (WLS) — Reaction is pouring in from fans across the city of Chicago and around the NFL…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":922711,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[559],"tags":[490280,64,63,593,85],"class_list":["post-922710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-490280","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922710"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922710\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/922711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=922710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=922710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}