Mike Ditka may not have coached in the NFL since 1999, but his impact on the game spans generations.
Ditka died Friday at the age of 86, and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh both recalled incredible stories about the Chicago Bears legend. Campbell learned of Ditka’s death at a press conference and shared the story of their first interaction.
“I have a great Ditka story. Someone I loved growing up, man, and Ditka was that. A big fan. So when I can get out, I get drafted to go to the combine. Well, the Saints want to meet me, especially Mike Ditka, right? Tight end, uh, hell of a player, hell of a coach, all that,” Campbell said.
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CHICAGO, IL – CIRCA 1980s: Head coach Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears on the field before an NFL football game in the mid-1980s at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Ditka was the Bears’ head coach from 1982 to 1992. (Photo by Sports Focus/Getty Images) ( )
Campbell, who was already nervous about meeting the Hall of Fame tight end, assumed there would be other people in the room with Ditka.
“No. I walk in and there’s a little light on. It’s like a little lamp in the corner, you know? It’s at the station and there’s nothing in there. There’s no couches there. The room is completely cleaned and there’s a little table and the room is full of smoke,” Campbell said.
“I mean, you can’t even see it. You just see this picture in the corner of this little lamp and you’re smoking everywhere and he’s got this big fat cigar.”
Campbell called meeting Ditka the “best” and “most intimidating” experience of his life, but he looks back fondly on it.
“It was awesome though, man. Just him asking questions about where you grew up, how you think, how you’re wired, the game, what you see, it was awesome. And thoughts and prayers go out to his family. You know, he’s a legend. He’s a legend,” Campbell said.
Ditka drafted Harbaugh in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft while he was head coach of the Bears. The Chargers coach remembers witnessing Ditka’s generosity while the two went over a game plan in Ditka’s office.
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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on during practice at the team’s NFL training camp in Allen Park, Mich., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
During their discussion, Ditka began writing checks, and lots of them.
“Then I finally said, ‘Hey, you know, what are you doing, coach?’ And he said he got a letter, and it was like a stack of letters, and people in need were writing him checks for $500 each,” Harbaugh told reporters at a news conference.
“’I, do you know these people?’” Harbaugh asked.
“‘No, I don’t know them.’ And that’s all he said. »
Harbaugh said his former coach never made his charitable acts public; the Chargers coach witnessed it. Harbaugh called Ditka a “great man.”
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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts from the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, September 13, 2026, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson called Ditka the organization’s gold standard.
“I just want to start by offering my condolences to the Ditka family. Sad news here this morning, obviously. As far as I’m concerned, Coach Ditka is the gold standard when it comes to this place. He’s a legend here, as a player, as a coach. His impact is still felt today and as the head coach of the Bears,” Johnson said in a press conference.
“I feel honored to be in the same chair he once was in. It’s a sad day to hear of his passing, he is in our thoughts and prayers.”
Several other NFL coaches opened their Friday news conferences by acknowledging Ditka’s passing and offering condolences to his family.
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Head coach Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears watches from the sidelines as the Washington Redskins play during an NFL football game on November 26, 1989 at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. Ditka was the Bears’ head coach from 1982 to 1992. (Focus on sport/Getty Images)
Ditka won Super Bowls as a player and assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys and as head coach of the Bears.
A pioneer of the modern tight receiver position, Ditka revolutionized the role after the Bears drafted him in 1961. He went on to become the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ditka’s illustrious career and numerous accolades speak for themselves, but her stories and lasting impact will be remembered for generations.
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