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CHICAGO – It’s not lost on Mike Ditka that on the night the Bears retire his No. 89 jersey their opponent is the Cowboys.
Ditka closed his Hall of Fame career playing for Dallas from 1969-72 and was an assistant coach for the franchise for several seasons under Tom Landry.
Ditka was a star for the Bears from 1961-66. After a contract dispute, he played two injury-plagued seasons for the Eagles. At the end of the 1968 season, he was ready to retire when he got a call from Landry.
“Very simply, he told me, ‘I don’t know if you can play anymore, but I traded for you, and I’m willing to take a chance on you if you take a chance on yourself,’ ” Ditka told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ditka said he was miserable in Philadelphia, but “was a better person in Dallas.” His best season for the Cowboys was in 1971, when he caught 30 passes for 360 yards and a touchdown on the franchise’s first Super Bowl champion.
“I went down to Dallas, got in the best shape of my life and probably played as good of football as I ever played,” Ditka told the newspaper. “It was important to me. The Cowboys were a big part of my life. I was, put it this way, blessed.”
The Bears will retire Ditka’s jersey at halftime Monday night.
Continue reading...
Ditka closed his Hall of Fame career playing for Dallas from 1969-72 and was an assistant coach for the franchise for several seasons under Tom Landry.
Ditka was a star for the Bears from 1961-66. After a contract dispute, he played two injury-plagued seasons for the Eagles. At the end of the 1968 season, he was ready to retire when he got a call from Landry.
“Very simply, he told me, ‘I don’t know if you can play anymore, but I traded for you, and I’m willing to take a chance on you if you take a chance on yourself,’ ” Ditka told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ditka said he was miserable in Philadelphia, but “was a better person in Dallas.” His best season for the Cowboys was in 1971, when he caught 30 passes for 360 yards and a touchdown on the franchise’s first Super Bowl champion.
“I went down to Dallas, got in the best shape of my life and probably played as good of football as I ever played,” Ditka told the newspaper. “It was important to me. The Cowboys were a big part of my life. I was, put it this way, blessed.”
The Bears will retire Ditka’s jersey at halftime Monday night.
Continue reading...