Mike Ditka dies

Sports · Heat 1.0 / 10 · 2 shows · 4m airtime

Mike Ditka, who coached the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl and later became a broadcaster, died on October 9, 2026, at 85, per a family announcement. The discussion centers on how his outsized, unfiltered personality connected with Chicago and on how a coach like him could not survive today's phone-camera scrutiny.

How 2 podcasts covered it

1. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-09 (11:50 to 13:17)
   Reflects on Ditka and a quirkier era
   Reflects on Ditka's death and the era he came from: coaches and broadcasters were quirkier and more authentic before ubiquitous phones and media scrutiny, and Ditka uniquely connected with Chicago.
   New angle: Mike Ditka died on the day of the episode.
2. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-14 (33:50 to 35:57)
   Remembers Ditka through a halftime interview
   Al Michaels remembers Ditka through a Monday Night Football halftime interview, the 1985 Bears defense under Buddy Ryan, and seeing him play at Pitt. Warm reminiscence that stays inside the obituary coverage already on the record.