Mike Ditka Dies at 86: Giants Coach John Harbaugh Pays Tribute

Mike Ditka Dies at 86: Giants Coach John Harbaugh Pays Tribute

Hall of Fame tight end and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka has died at the age of 86, his family announced on Friday, October 9, 2026. New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh paid tribute to him at the start of his media session that day, according to Giants Wire on Yahoo Sports.

What Harbaugh said

Harbaugh opened his Friday news conference by telling reporters that Ditka had passed away, Giants Wire reported. He said he got to know Ditka a little because his brother, Jim, was drafted by him and played for him.

Reflecting on Ditka’s approach, Harbaugh said: “He always knew what he stood for football-wise, right?” He closed his remarks by saying he hoped Ditka would rest in peace.

Giants Wire notes that neither Harbaugh brother ever coached against Ditka, who last coached in the NFL in 1999 with the New Orleans Saints. The site also recalled that Bill Parcells later got his own back on Ditka with a 31-3 win at Giants Stadium.

Who was Mike Ditka

CBS Sports says Ditka was the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in 1988, and the 1961 NFL Rookie of the Year. The Bears retired his No. 89 jersey.

He played for the Bears from 1961 to 1966, helping them win the 1963 NFL title, and later played for the Eagles and Cowboys. He also helped Dallas win its first championship at the end of the 1971 season, CBS Sports reports.

After retiring as a player, he joined Tom Landry’s Cowboys staff and won a second Super Bowl as an assistant at the end of the 1977 season. He returned to Chicago as head coach in 1982 and led the 1985 Bears to the franchise’s only Super Bowl win, according to the Washington Post.

Timeline:

1961: Drafted by the Bears; named NFL Rookie of the Year.
1971: Helps Dallas win its first title.
1982: Becomes Bears head coach.
January 1986: Bears win the Super Bowl.
October 9, 2026: Ditka dies at 86, family announces.

Tributes and reactions

The Bears said they were deeply saddened by the passing of Ditka, according to NFL.com. The NFL, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Saints and the Eagles also issued tributes.

Current Bears coach Ben Johnson called Ditka the “gold standard in terms of this place”, ABC7 Chicago reported. Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said Ditka brought toughness to an era already defined by physicality and was a more gifted pass catcher than many realised.

No cause of death was given in the reports reviewed.