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

Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; Mike Ditka on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 9 (Reuters) - MikeDitka, a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight ⁠end best known as theslick-haired and mustachioed head coach who led the NFL's Chicago Bears to their only Super Bowl triumph in 1986, has died. ⁠He was 86.

Ditka's death was announced in a statement by his family on Friday. No cause of death was given.

"It is with profound sadness ‌that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend,"Ditka's family said in a statement.

"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."

Revered in Chicago and famous nationwide as "Da Coach," Ditka was a blunt, ​straight-talking legend with a devoted following and restaurants bearing his name.

He also sold a number of products ⁠with his name on, including cigars, sausages and wine.

TRANSFORMED THE TIGHT ⁠END POSITION

As a player, Ditka revolutionized the tight end position and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection while playing with the Bears from 1961-66 before moving on ⁠to ‌the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Dallas Cowboys, where he featured in the team's Super Bowl triumph inJanuary 1972.

Selected fifth overall by the Bears in the 1961 NFL Draft,Ditka introduced a new dimension to the tight end position that once was viewed primarily as an assignment for a tough, talented blocker.

While Ditka, also affectionately known ⁠as "Iron Mike," was a superior blocker, he became one of the first tight ends to catch ​a large number of passes.

He earned Rookie of the ‌Year honors after becoming the first tight end in NFL history to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season and went on to winthe ⁠1963 NFL championship with Chicago ​prior to the start of the Super Bowl era.

At the time of his retirement after the 1972 season, Ditka ranked second among all tight ends in receptions, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He is also the only individual in the NFL's modern era to win a league title with the same team as a player and head coach.

"Mike's impact on the Chicago Bears organization, ⁠over decades as a player, coach and proud icon and ambassador for our organization is ​immeasurable," the team said in a statement.

"His integral role in bringing world championships to our city and our franchise, both as a player and as our coach, established prominence and excellence at a world-class level, but also created a lifetime of cherished memories in the hearts and minds of Bears fans that will last for generations."

DITKA 'EPITOMIZED FOOTBALL'

Following his playing career ⁠Ditka became a member of Tom Landry's coaching staff in Dallas where he won a Super Bowl.

He eventually returned to Chicago as head coach and turned the Bears into one of the league's most dominant champions.

The Bears team that Ditka led to Super Bowl glory featured one of the most vaunted defenses in NFL history and a top-ranked offense.

Withthe likes of Walter Payton, William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Jim McMahon and MikeSingletary, the Bears transcended professional sports and became a global pop culture phenomenon after recording “The Super Bowl Shuffle” ​rap song and accompanying music video that became an unlikely hit.

The song was released weeks before the Bears beat the ⁠New England Patriots46-10 in the Super Bowl. At the time, it was the largest margin of victory in any Super Bowl.

After the game, the Chicagoplayers carried Ditka, who was wearing ​a sleeveless Bears sweater over a formal dress shirt and tie,off the field on their shoulders.

"Mike Ditka epitomized ‌football over so many years. He brought intensity, authenticity and an unmistakable personality to ​everything he did," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

"As a Hall of Fame player, Super Bowl-winning coach with his beloved and iconic Bears, and as a broadcaster, Mike served as an ambassador for the game and inspired generations of fans."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Thank you for your report!

2016年2月6日；美国加利福尼亚州旧金山；迈克·迪特卡在比尔·格雷厄姆市政礼堂举行的NFL荣誉颁奖典礼前走上红毯。图片来源：Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports（必须注明出处）

10月9日（路透社）——职业橄榄球名人堂近端锋迈克·迪特卡去世，享年86岁。他最广为人知的身份是NFL芝加哥熊队的主教练，他标志性的油头和胡须让他得以在1986年带领球队赢得唯一一次超级碗冠军。

迪特卡的家人周五发表声明宣布了他的死讯，但并未透露死因。

“我们怀着无比悲痛的心情宣布，我们挚爱的丈夫、父亲、祖父和朋友去世了，”迪特卡的家人在一份声明中说。

“虽然全世界都知道迈克是名人堂橄榄球运动员、传奇教练，以及芝加哥熊队赢得第二十届超级碗冠军的领袖，但我们都知道他是我们家庭的核心。

“我们将无比怀念迈克，并将永远铭记他。”

迪特卡在芝加哥备受尊敬，在全国范围内以“教练”之名闻名，他是一位直言不讳、言辞犀利的传奇人物，拥有众多忠实追随者，还有以他名字命名的餐厅。

他还销售了许多印有自己名字的产品，包括雪茄、香肠和葡萄酒。

改变了近端锋的位置

作为一名球员，迪特卡彻底改变了近端锋的位置，在 1961 年至 1966 年效力于芝加哥熊队期间，他五次入选职业碗，之后转会至费城老鹰队，然后又加盟达拉斯牛仔队，并在 1972 年 1 月随队赢得了超级碗冠军。

迪特卡在 1961 年 NFL 选秀中被芝加哥熊队以第五顺位选中，他为近端锋位置带来了新的维度，而近端锋这个位置曾经主要被视为强悍、有天赋的阻挡者的任务。

迪特卡（也被亲切地称为“铁人迈克”）是一位出色的阻挡手，他也是最早接球次数最多的近端锋之一。

他成为 NFL 历史上第一个单赛季接球码数达到 1000 码的近端锋，并荣获年度最佳新秀称号。在超级碗时代开始之前，他随芝加哥队赢得了 1963 年 NFL 总冠军。

根据职业橄榄球名人堂的统计，迪特卡在 1972 赛季结束后退役时，接球次数在所有近端锋中排名第二。

他也是 NFL 现代史上唯一一位以球员和主教练身份带领同一支球队赢得联赛冠军的人。

“几十年来，迈克作为球员、教练以及我们组织的骄傲的偶像和形象大使，对芝加哥熊队的影响是无法估量的，”球队在一份声明中表示。

“他作为球员和教练，为我们的城市和球队带来了世界冠军，不仅确立了球队在世界级水平上的卓越地位，也在熊队球迷的心中创造了世代相传的珍贵回忆。”

迪特卡“足球的化身”

退役后，迪特卡加入了汤姆·兰德里在达拉斯的教练组，并在那里赢得了超级碗冠军。

他最终回到芝加哥担任主教练，并将熊队打造成联盟中最具统治力的冠军球队之一。

迪特卡带领芝加哥熊队夺得超级碗冠军的那支球队拥有 NFL 历史上最令人敬畏的防守之一和排名第一的进攻。

凭借沃尔特·佩顿、威廉·“冰箱”·佩里、吉姆·麦克马洪和迈克·辛格尔特里等人的出色表现，芝加哥熊队超越了职业体育的范畴，在录制了说唱歌曲《超级碗舞步》及其配套音乐视频后，成为了全球流行文化现象，这首歌意外走红。

这首歌在芝加哥熊队以46比10战胜新英格兰爱国者队赢得超级碗的几周前就已发行。当时，这是超级碗历史上最大的分差胜利。

比赛结束后，芝加哥队的球员们将身穿无袖熊队毛衣、内搭正式衬衫和领带的迪特卡扛在肩上，抬下了球场。

“多年来，迈克·迪特卡一直是橄榄球运动的代表人物。他为他所做的每一件事都注入了激情、真诚和鲜明的个性，”NFL总裁罗杰·古德尔在一份声明中说。

“作为一名名人堂球员、带领他挚爱的标志性球队芝加哥熊队赢得超级碗的教练，以及一名解说员，迈克一直是这项运动的形象大使，激励了一代又一代的球迷。”

（弗兰克·平格多伦多报道；肯·费里斯编辑）

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