Fansided

10 greatest Chicago Bears of all time

By Russell S. Baxter

LOS ANGELES,CA: Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears circa 1987 prepares to play against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES,CA: Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears circa 1987 prepares to play against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bears Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka (89) makes a catch in a 10-3 win over te Green Bay Packers on September 15, 1963 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Fred Roe/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka (89) makes a catch in a 10-3 win over te Green Bay Packers on September 15, 1963 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Fred Roe/Getty Images) /

4. TE Mike Ditka

He was the first tight end in NFL history to gain at least 1,000 yards receiving in a season. And he was also the first player at his position to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1961, University of Pittsburgh standout Mike Ditka was the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft. And he would earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors thanks to 56 receptions, good for 1,056 yards and a dozen touchdowns.

He would wind up playing six seasons in the Windy City, snaring a combined 316 passes for 4,503 yards and 34 scores. Ditka earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first five seasons and was a two-time All-Pro as well. He would move onto Philadelphia for two seasons and then to Dallas for four years. But he never had the impact as a pass-catcher with those clubs as he did with the Bears, although he did catch a TD pass from Roger Staubach in Super Bowl IV.

While Ditka is on this list because of his play on the field, he was the team’s head coach for 11 seasons (1982-92) and led the club to a resounding 15-1 record in 1985 on the way to a 46-10 victory in Super Bowl XX. He certainly epitomized the franchise.

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