Mike Ditka, the head coach of the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears team, has died at the age of 86.
Ditka was a Bears legend, first as a tight end and then as a head coach, but he also made a mark in pop culture.
Late in his coaching career with the Bears, Ditka found himself in a few of the country’s biggest television shows, which also led to an iconic role in a Will Ferrell movie.
While Ditka will be remembered for leading the Bears to their most recent Super Bowl title, many fans have a different memory of Ditka on their TV screens. Ditka has stayed away from the spotlight in recent years, but he was all over television screens for a two-decade period.
Here’s a look at some of Ditka’s best moments in pop culture.
MORE: NFL mourns Mike Ditka’s passing
Mike Ditka’s best pop culture moments
Cheers
One of Ditka’s earliest ventures into pop culture came on the series finale for the legendary sitcom “Cheers,” when he played himself. Ditka appeared in a scene alongside model Kim Alexis as they presented Dianne Chambers with a television award.
Saturday Night Live
Ditka was best known for two things: his mustache and representing the Chicago Bears, and nothing showed that more than his influence on a “Saturday Night Live” sketch. The sketch show had a recurring sketch in the 1980s and 90s about die-hard Bears fans producing a talk show at a restaurant named “Ditka’s.”
One of the sketches even addressed Chicago firing Ditka in 1993, as the head coach was beloved in the city.
Kicking and Screaming
Of all his pop culture roles, Ditka might be remembered most for his appearance in the Will Ferrell movie “Kicking and Screaming.” The movie, which was a comedy about a children’s soccer team, had Will Ferrell’s character recruit Ditka to help him coach his son’s team, allowing Ditka to show off his comedy skills.
Entourage
Ditka made another appearance on a show’s series finale, this time for HBO’s popular show “Entourage.”
The former Bears head coach was one of several celebrities who made a cameo in the show’s eighth and final season, doing so alongside former Wisconsin head coach and athletic director Barry Alvarez.
#DaCoach Mike #Ditka & @jeremypiven ~ #Chicago #Bears #Entourage @adriangrenier @mrkevinconnolly @jerrycferrara #HBO https://t.co/kht21aSz0M
— Chicago History ™️ (@Chicago_History) September 7, 2014
Sunday NFL Countdown
From 2006 to 2015, Ditka was a regular panelist on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” where a new generation of football fans was introduced to him. He had many viral moments for ESPN in his decade working for the network’s pregame show.
