Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka was the first tight end elected to Canton in 1988 following a legendary NFL career that spanned 12 seasons and three teams, most notably with the Chicago Bears.
Ditka helped evolve the tight end position into a high-volume offensive weapon. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ditka "introduced a new dimension to the tight end position that once was viewed primarily as an assignment for a tough, talented blocker. Ditka proved to be a superior blocker, but he also became one of the first tight ends to catch a large number of passes."
Here's every team that Mike Ditka played for, from his collegiate days in Pittsburgh to the NFL:
Where did Mike Ditka go to college?
Ditka, a Pennsylvania native, stayed close to home and played collegiate
football at the University of Pittsburgh, less than 30 miles away from his hometown. Ditka played three seasons at Pittsburgh (1958-1960), all under coach John Michelosen. Ditka led the team in receiving three consecutive years as a tight end. He also played defensive line.
During his senior season, Ditka was unanimously named to the College Football All-America team after recording 11 receptions for 229 yards and two touchdowns (10 starts) and he finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. In 30 career games for Pittsburgh, Ditka caught 45 passes for 730 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ditka was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986. His No. 89 jersey was retired by the Panthers in 1997 and he was inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Athletics Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 2018.
Which teams did Mike Ditka play for in the NFL?
Ditka was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the fifth overall pick in the 1961 NFL draft. He was also drafted by the Houston Oilers with the eighth overall pick of the 1961 AFL draft, but he signed with the Bears.
Chicago Bears (1961-66)
Ditka played for the Bears for six seasons and made 84 consecutive starts from 1961 to 1966. In his first season with the Bears, Ditka recorded 58 receptions for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns, tied for the most receiving touchdowns by a Bears rookie (Harlon Hill, 1954). Ditka was named the NFL AP Rookie of the Year in 1961 and earned Pro Bowl honors.
Ditka earned All-Pro honors five straight seasons (1962-66, including first-team honors in 1963 and 1964) and Pro Bowl nods five consecutive years with the Bears (1961–65). He helped the team win the 1963 NFL championship. In 84 career games (all starts) for the Bears across six seasons, Ditka recorded 316 receptions for 4,503 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Philadelphia Eagles (1967-68)
Ditka couldn't reach a contract extension with Bears owner and head coach George Halas and was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in April 1967. Ditka's production dipped in his first season with the Eagles due to injury, only appearing in nine games (six starts). He had 26 receptions for 274 yards and two touchdowns. In 20 games with the Eagles across two seasons, Ditka appeared in 20 games (12 starts) and recorded 39 receptions for 385 yards and four touchdowns.
Dallas Cowboys (1969-72)
Ditka was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in January 1969. In his first season with the Cowboys, Ditka appeared in 12 games (four starts) and had 17 receptions for 268 yards and three touchdowns, despite being behind fellow tight end Pettis Norman on the depth chart. He remained behind Norman in 1970 and posted a career-low eight receptions for 98 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games (no starts).
Ditka remained a backup in 1971 — this time to tight end Billy Truax — but he had 30 receptions for 360 yards and one touchdown in 14 appearances (four starts). The Cowboys advanced to the Super Bowl for the second straight season and defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-3 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Ditka had two receptions for 28 yards and one touchdown, in addition to a 17-yard run, in the Super Bowl VI win.
Ditka started all 14 games for his fourth and final season with the Cowboys and recorded 17 receptions for 198 yards and one touchdown.
When did Mike Ditka retire?
Ditka announced his retirement after the 1972 season on March 1, 1973, following 12 seasons in the NFL. He retired with 427 receptions — a league record for a tight end at the time — 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and became the first tight end to make it to Canton.
"In life, many men have talent, but talent in itself is no accomplishment," Ditka said during his enshrinement speech. "Excellence in football and excellence in life is bred when men recognize their opportunities and then pursue them with a passion, and I think that sums up what the players of the National Football League and NFL Hall of Fame stand for. They recognize an opportunity and they went after it."
Ditka immediately went into coaching after his retirement and was hired as an assistant by his former Cowboys coach, Tom Landry. He went on to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears (1982-92) and New Orleans Saints (1997-99).
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What teams did Mike Ditka play for? Hall of Fame tight end's college, NFL stats
