Blackhawks hold moment of silence for former Bears coach Mike Ditka

Pro Football Hall of Famer died at 86 on Friday

Mike Ditka moment of silence

© Chicago Blackhawks

By Anna Kulesa
@akulesa_ NHL.com Staff Writer

The Chicago Blackhawks paid their respects to former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka on Saturday.

Before their game against the Carolina Hurricanes at United Center, the team held a moment of silence to honor the life of the NFL legend who died at the age of 86 on Friday.

“The Chicago Blackhawks join the entire Chicago sports community in mourning the passing of Mike Ditka, a legend whose impact on Chicago extended far beyond the football field,” the arena’s public address announcer said in a video posted by the Blackhawks on social media.

Ditka coached the Bears from 1982-1992, leading the franchise to the Super Bowl XX championship in the 1985 season, the only title in franchise history.

As a player, Ditka was a tight end for the Bears (1961-66), the Philadelphia Eagles (1967-68) and Dallas Cowboys (1969-1972). He won one Super Bowl as a player in the 1971 season with the Cowboys.

In 1988, Ditka became the first tight end in NFL history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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