Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was among those around the NFL who paid tribute to legendary tight end and head coach Mike Ditka on Friday following his death at the age of 86.
While speaking to reporters on Friday, Campbell called Ditka a “legend” and told the story of a one-on-one meeting with Ditka during the pre-draft process when Ditka was head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 1999:
Several other NFL-affiliated accounts and journalists also shared their memories of Ditka:
Ditka excelled as both a player and coach, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 thanks to his contributions as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.
Playing 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, Ditka was a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro, one-time NFL champion and one-time Super Bowl champion.
Ditka recorded 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns in 158 games, leading him to become the first tight end ever inducted into the Hall of Fame.
After a long stint as an assistant coach with the Cowboys, during which he won another Super Bowl, Ditka was named head coach of the Bears in 1982.
Ditka went 106-62 with seven playoff appearances during his 11 seasons at Chicago’s helm, and he led the famed 1985 Bears to the only Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
He capped his coaching career with three seasons in New Orleans from 1997 to 1999 before becoming a hugely popular NFL analyst and personality for CBS and ESPN.
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