What former US President Barack Obama had to say about Mike Ditka’s passing

Former US President Barack Obama posted an emotional message to express his condolences on the passing of legendary Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka.

On Friday, it was announced that Ditka had passed away at the age of 86. His agent told USA Sports that the death was of natural causes.

Ditka played for the Chicago Bears from 1961 to 1965, making the Pro Bowl team five times. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys before moving into coaching.

After being an assistant coach and special teams coordinator in Dallas, Ditka took over the head coaching role of the Bears in 1982.

His first two years with the Bears did not go well, as they missed the playoffs on both occasions. But in his third year, he helped the Bears make the NFC Championship Game. Although they fell short that year, in 1985, Ditka did the extraordinary and helped the franchise win its first and only Super Bowl title.

That was the same year Barack Obama moved to the city of Chicago.

The former President moved to Chicago as he was hired as director of the Developing Communities Project. It was a special year for the city, as they had won the Super Bowl for the first time, and Chicago had put its name on the map as a sports city.

To honour the legacy and give his condolences, Obama had a special message for Mike Ditka.

When I got to Chicago in the summer of 1985, Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears were king. Coach Ditka set the tone for a team that was punishing, dominant, and fun — and the city loved him for it. I’m thinking of the Ditka family and Bears fans everywhere on the passing of a… pic.twitter.com/RKlJsahYbR

“When I got to Chicago in the summer of 1985, Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears were king. Coach Ditka set the tone for a team that was punishing, dominant, and fun — and the city loved him for it. I’m thinking of the Ditka family and Bears fans everywhere on the passing of a legend,” wrote Obama.

Obama had invited the 1985 Bears team to the White House in 2011 for a delayed celebration of their Super Bowl win. It was there that Ditka had presented Obama with a custom jersey.

Tributes have been pouring in from everyone in the NFL community, but Obama’s message shows how much of an impact Ditka had on the larger American society.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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