Mike Ditka's NFL career began in 1961 when the Bears made him their first round selection from the University of Pittsburgh. He had an immediate impact, catching 56 passes and earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Ditka played five more seasons with the Bears, earning a Pro Bowl trip each year, before being traded to Philadelphia in 1967. After two years with the Eagles, he played four more in Dallas, where he caught a touchdown pass in the Cowboys' 24-3 win over the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.

The final accolade to Ditka's outstanding playing career was bestowed upon him 16 years after his retirement when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988). His 427 career receptions included 75 catches in 1964, a NFL record for tight ends until San Diego's Kellen Winslow broke it in 1980. Ditka still holds four Bears records: consecutive games with a reception, touch down receptions, most receptions by a rookie, and most touchdown catches by a rookie.