At 86, Mike Ditka Reveals The 5 Greatest NFL Players He Ever Saw

The legend is gone. On October 9th, 2026, Mike Ditka, the legendary former Chicago Bears coach and first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, passed away at the age of 86. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka," his family said — noting that while the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl 20 championship team, they knew him as the heart of their family. But before he left us, Ditka gave us something priceless — the unfiltered truth about the five greatest players he ever witnessed. The man who saw it all, on both sides of the ball, across six decades of football. This is his list. Let's get into it!