Cameras recorded President Donald Trump’s reaction after he was told that Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka had died.
Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach who guided the Bears to the franchise’s only Super Bowl victory, died Friday at age 86.
Trump was on the White House lawn with boxing icon Mike Tyson and New York Yankees president Randy Levine when reporters asked about Ditka’s death. The president appeared unaware of the news until he was informed.
“Oh, he did?” Trump asked before turning to his companions and repeating, “Mike Ditka.”
Trump then remembered Ditka as “a great guy,” adding, “He was with me all the way. He was tough.”
Echoing his response to the death of former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Trump said: “Mike Ditka is… that’s a sad one, you’re just telling me that now for the first time.”
President Donald Trump appeared stunned after learning of Bears coach Mike Ditka’s death
Ditka, who coached the Bears to their only Super Bowl title, died at age 86
Trump went on to praise Ditka, saying: “He was great. He was great. He was a… He was a big supporter of mine. Won the Super Bowl in ’86. Yeah, no, he was a winner. He was a tough cookie. He was great.”
The president spoke shortly before departing the White House with Tyson for a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday evening.
After spending only a few seasons playing for the Bears, Ditka returned to Chicago as head coach in 1982 and led the team through the most successful period in its history.
He became a beloved figure in Chicago and across the sports world, later building a broadcasting career with ESPN.
Ditka also used his prominent platform to advocate for improved health care and retirement benefits for former players.
His name circulated for years in Illinois political circles. Although he never sought elected office, Ditka identified as a staunch conservative and was repeatedly mentioned as a potential Republican candidate, including in a possible U.S. Senate race against then-state Rep. Barack Obama.
In later years, Ditka became a vocal Trump supporter, saying in 2016: “I support Trump all the way. I really do.”
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Ditka died at approximately 9 a.m. Friday surrounded by family and friends. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Trump left the White House for a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday evening
Ditka was an NFL and Super Bowl champion who helped revolutionize the tight end position
Ditka’s family announced his death in a statement Friday, saying: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka.
“While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.”
‘Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.’
Ditka revolutionized the tight end position during his playing career before becoming coach of the Bears and leading the franchise to its sole Super Bowl title in 1985.
He also had enormous success as a player and was on the Bears’ 1963 NFL championship team and won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys in 1971.
Born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Ditka was selected by the Bears with the No. 5 overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft. He won Rookie of the Year after becoming the first tight end to have more than 1,000 receiving yards.
As well as being a battering ram of a blocker, Ditka was also a major threat in the passing game and paved the way for the sort of tight end the NFL is now accustomed to seeing.
The first tight end to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ditka played for Chicago for six seasons before spending two with the Philadelphia Eagles and four with the Cowboys.
Ditka’s 1985 Bears were dominant, going 15-1 before destroying the Patriots in the Super Bowl
Ditka and wife Diana are pictured attending an event at the White House in 1989
Ditka was enshrined in the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and the Bears said during a ceremony in 2013 that his ‘No. 89’ jersey will be the last one retired by the team.
After retiring in 1973, he became an assistant coach to the revered Tom Landry and stayed with the Cowboys for eight seasons.
Ditka was hired to lead the Bears by his former coach and the team’s founder George Halas in 1982. Ditka led them to the playoffs seven times in 11 seasons and reached the NFC title game three times.
But it is Ditka’s 1985 Bears who are remembered for their sheer dominance, going 15-1 while ranking among the top teams in football on offense and defense before obliterating the New England Patriots, 46-10 in Super Bowl XX.
