Mike Ditka is best known for his work in the NFL. He was a legendary tight end during the 1960s and was the driving force behind the Bears’ success two decades later. He was an outspoken personality who was recognizable, loud, and the perfect pitchman for whatever product he was selling.
In the 1990s, Mike Ditka tried to make the game as easy to understand as possible by adding numerous angles to watch the play action. He also included a virtual scouting report. The game released in 1998. Today, Madden is still considered one of the best video games in the world.
While his coaching career was marked by success, he struggled in the early years of his coaching career. He led the Chicago Bears to the NFC Championship Game, but was unhappy with his coaching decisions. He later landed the job as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. In addition to winning the NFC Championship, Ditka’s Bears had three straight seasons with a winning record. But the 1998 season was not as successful as some would have liked. The Saints finished 6-10 in the regular season, and were eliminated from the playoffs on a last-second field goal.
Mike Ditka’s NFL career began when he was drafted fifth overall in the NFL Draft. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He played basketball and baseball as well and was an intramural wrestling champion. He was drafted to the NFL by the Chicago Bears in the 1960s and led the team in receiving in all three seasons. He also played defensive end and linebacker. He averaged 42.5 yards per punt.
In addition to coaching, Mike Ditka made his mark in video games. After retiring from the game world, he shifted his focus to television. He became the most sought-after television personality in American sports, earning multi-million-dollar salaries. In fact, NBC even offered to build him a luxury train so that he could travel in style.
In 1954, John Madden graduated from high school. He then went on to play college football at the California Polytechnic State University. While at Cal Poly, he earned all-conference honors while playing on the defensive line. He also played baseball and earned a BS in education.