CANTON, Ohio — The upcoming Hall of Fame induction of Bears great Steve McMichael has brought the 1985 championship team together in celebration, but their iconic head coach won’t be there for it.
Mike Ditka isn’t scheduled to attend the enshrinement ceremony Saturday in Canton, Ohio, or the event at McMichael’s home in Homer Glen because of ongoing health issues, multiple sources said. He is expected to remain at his Naples, Fla., home.
Former players and friends have expressed serious concern about Ditka, 84, for over a year. When McMichael was announced as a Hall of Fame finalist last summer, his wife Misty lamented that Ditka was unable to visit because he was “in pretty bad health right now; he’s not mobile.”
Ditka played tight end for the Bears from 1961 through ’66 and coached them to their only Super Bowl win during his run from 1982 through ’92. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and is invited to attend the induction every year.
Ditka went on to coach the Saints and work for ESPN and appeared to be doing well when he attended the Bears 100 Celebration Weekend in 2019, but his public appearances have been limited since.
Many of Ditka’s players from the ’85 team will be in Canton or Homer Glen, or both, this week. Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Jim McMahon, Otis Wilson and Jimbo Covert are expected to be in Canton through at least Friday, and the McMichaels are hosting family and friends Saturday when “Mongo” will receive his jacket at home amid his battle with ALS.
Former Bears Devin Hester--the first return specialist ever to be voted into the Hall of Fame — and Julius Peppers also will be enshrined Saturday.
Hester holds the NFL record with 20 touchdowns on special teams in the regular season and ran back the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI. Peppers is fifth all-time in sacks with 159 1/2, and while he played most of his career for the Panthers, he had 37 1/2 sacks for the Bears from 2010 through ’13.
While the team will return to Halas Hall after playing its preseason opener against the Texans on Thursday, the organization plans to have chairman George McCaskey, president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles attend the ceremony.
