Skip to content

Mike Ditka — The Kind 50

Mike Ditka in an orange Chicago Bears polo stands on a football sideline beside another coach.

Mike Ditka was a Chicago Bears
legend: the first tight end in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
and the coach who led the ’85
Bears to a championship win.

A smiling Mike Ditka in a dark suit with a microphone in front of him, in black and white.
Mike Ditka in a navy polo with orange trim speaks at a podium with one hand raised, against a pale pink wall.
A young Mike Ditka in a dark football jersey looks off to the side, in black and white.
A young Mike Ditka in an orange Chicago Bears jersey poses against a blue studio background.
Mike Ditka, in a dark suit and tie, speaks at a clear lectern on a stage in front of a Gridiron Greats screen.

But some of his proudest work happened off-field.

Many retired NFL players leave
behind the game, but not the
resulting health problems
nor financial hardship.

Ditka became chairman of the
Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund
in 2008, a nonprofit providing
grants and medical assistance
to retired players in dire need.

over
Football players in white jerseys and helmets crowd into a huddle, seen from below against a blue sky.
120

retired NFL players assisted
through GGAF since 2007

Mike Ditka in a dark jacket speaks into a microphone at a podium against a black background.

GGAF ensured retired players in need
received proper housing, utilities,
medication, and medical care.

Throughout his career, Ditka pushed for
better pensions and health care for
retired players—especially ones from his
own era.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund badge: a black shield with a football player’s silhouette, stars and stripes, and a ribbon reading Assistance Fund.

Take care of these guys

Mike Ditka,
on retired players,
2007

The NFL commissioner
called Ditka “a champion
for taking care of those who
helped build our game.”

Seen from above, a football team in red and white huddles in a curve on a dark green field.
A navy and orange football-shaped badge with the number 89 and white laces.
Mike Ditka, in a red zip-neck shirt and dark blazer, looks up and off to one side as he sits among an audience, the person beside him blurred.

A fan favorite

They called him Iron Mike, but the
players he helped knew his softer side.

Now, his legacy continues on into
the next generation of players and
fans alike.

Mike Ditka in a dark jacket raises a hand to his chin, in black and white.

Mike Ditka

1939-2026

A football lies on a green turf field beside white yard lines.

Fundraisers for a teammate raise 5x more*

*Based on GoFundMe data in 2026 comparing average funds raised by fundraisers created for someone else vs. for the fundraiser’s own benefit

Start a GoFundMe