Mike Ditka’s 1985 Bears forever changed the laws of football, thrilled all of us
By Obama Foundation · October 10, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Mike Ditka’s 1985 Bears forever changed the laws of football, thrilled all of us who live in Chicago and riveted the country.
That’s the legacy we’re reflecting on today. The jersey “Da Coach” gave President Obama is on display on Level 4 of the Obama Presidential Center Museum, and as President Obama said when honoring the ‘85 Bears at the White House:
“They were, of course, led by the coach who set the tone -- Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. In training camp, he said, ‘Put a chip on your shoulder in July and keep it there till January.’ Some of you may remember that back in 2004, when I was running for the Senate, some people were trying to draft Ditka to run against me. I will admit I was a little worried because he doesn’t lose. Coach, I’m glad you didn’t run, because I have to say I probably would have been terrible on ESPN.”