HEADLINE

Reports: Ditka recuperating after heart attack

The Sports Xchange

November 24, 2018 at 10:41 am.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka is recovering from a heart attack in a Florida hospital.

A legendary tight end and former head coach of the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, Ditka suffered a heart attack on Wednesday, multiple media outlets reported.

The 79-year-old Ditka is showing improvement and is expected to be released from the hospital in the near future, his agent told ESPN.com Friday.

“Coach Ditka had a mild heart attack earlier this week. Doctors inserted a pacemaker, and he is doing much better,” agent Steve Mandell said. “He appreciates the outpouring of support and expects to be home soon.”

Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. He played 12 years in the NFL (1961-72, starring for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

However, Ditka may be best known for his tenure as head coach of the Bears, the team that made him the No. 5 overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft.

The man known as “Iron Mike” coached Chicago for 11 years and his teams reflected the “City of Broad Shoulders” image — particularly the 1985 squad that ranked as one of the best defensive teams in league history.

The Bears rolled to a 15-1 record that season and steamrolled three opponents in the playoffs, capped by a 46-10 demolition of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl in Super Bowl XX.

It was the second heart attack suffered by Ditka. He also had one in November 1988 while coaching the Bears and was back on the sideline less than two weeks later.

Ditka fashioned a 106-62-0 record in his 11 seasons with the Bears before going on to coach the New Orleans Saints for three seasons. He owns a 121-95-0 career record as a head coach.

As a player, Ditka had his lone 1,000-yard season as a rookie in 1961, averaging 19.2 yards on 56 catches while establishing a career high with 12 touchdowns to earn the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl berths.

For his career, Ditka had 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns in 158 games. He also won a championship with the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.

Ditka later served as NFL analyst for both NBC and ESPN.