Mike Ditka is a former football player and coach who has worked for several teams in the NFL. He has won Super Bowl titles, both as a player and a coach. He is a two-time Coach of the Year awardee, an NFL champion, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, five-time All-Pro selection, and five-time Pro Bowler. For this piece, let’s take a closer look at Mike Ditka’s net worth in 2022.
Mike Ditka's net worth in 2022 (estimate): $30 million
Mike Ditka's net worth in 2022 is $30 million. This is according to outlets such as Celebrity Net Worth.
Mike Ditka was born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He attended Aliquippa High School and played three sports, including basketball, baseball, and football. After high school, Ditka was recruited by Notre Dame, Penn State, and the University of Pittsburgh. He eventually enrolled at Pitt and pursued dentistry. At the same time, Ditka also played three sports for the university, including football for the Panthers.
At Pitt, Ditka was a star, accumulating 45 passes for 730 yards and seven touchdowns. His performance in college would eventually merit him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
After three years of playing college football, Ditka declared for the 1961 NFL Draft and the 1961 AFL Draft. In the NFL Draft, Ditka was selected in the first round by the Chicago Bears with the fifth overall pick. On the other hand, the Houston Oilers selected him in the AFL Draft with the eight overall pick in the first round. Ditka would eventually sign his rookie deal with the Bears that paid him $12,000 annually on top of a $6,000 bonus.
Playing for the Bears, Ditka wasted no time in making an impact. In his rookie season, Ditka tallied 56 receptions for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns. With his efforts, Ditka was declared the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Moreover, he also made his first Pro Bowl appearance.
After a stellar rookie season, Ditka continued to maintain his fine play in the NFL. And in 1963, Ditka led the team with 59 receptions for 794 yards and eight touchdowns. But more importantly, Ditka played a critical role in stirring the team to win his first NFL title.
Ditka would play for the Bears until 1966. In his final year, Ditka tallied 32 receptions for 378 yards and two touchdowns. Around this time, the NFL and AFL also agreed to merge. Just before the merger, Ditka exercised his player option and eventually signed with the Oilers, the team that drafted him in the AFL. Ditka inked a lucrative deal worth $300,000 and included a $50,000 signing bonus.
However, Ditka would never suit up for the Oilers. Instead, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Unfortunately, Ditka’s stint with the Eagles wasn’t memorable as he struggled with injuries. In a span of two seasons, Ditka played in 20 games for the Eagles and accumulated 39 receptions for 385 yards and four touchdowns.
After two seasons with the Eagles, Ditka would be shipped to Dallas. His best year for the Cowboys came in 1971 when he accumulated 30 receptions for 360 yards and one touchdown. On top of that, Ditka played an instrumental role in helping the Cowboys secure the Super Bowl championship, winning his first as a player.
After the 1972 season, Ditka decided to hang up his cleats. In his 12 year career as a player, Ditka totaled 427 receptions for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. At that time, his 427 receptions were the most by any tight end in the league’s history. For his remarkable feat, Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While some athletes walk away from the game, Ditka hovered close to football. After retiring, Ditka was immediately hired by the Cowboys to serve as part of the team’s coaching staff. In 1982, Ditka made his return to Chicago after the Bears hired their former star to man the sidelines. Based on reports, Ditka inked a three year deal.
In 1982, Ditka made his coaching debut and led the Bears to a 3-6 record. He followed that up with a much-improved 8-8 win-loss card a season later. Then came a 10-6 record and a trip to the NFC Championship Game. After that playoff run, the organization manifested their belief in Ditka by giving him a fresh deal.
Fortunately, his true breakout season came in 1985, when Ditka led the team to a 15-1 record. On top of that, he also led the team to a Super Bowl title, Ditka’s first as a coach, as part of one of the greatest seasons in NFL history. Aside from this feat, Ditka was also named the Coach of the Year.
The Bears continued their success under Ditka the next three seasons, though they never returned to the Super Bowl. In 1988, Ditka led Chicago to a 12-4 record to capture his second Coach of the Year Award despite suffering a heart attack in the midst of the season.
In 1991, Ditka was rewarded by the Bears with another fresh three-year deal that paid their coach about one million dollars annually. Unfortunately, after the 1992 season, Ditka would be fired as head coach after a disappointing 5-11 win-loss card.
After coaching the Bears, Ditka entered the broadcasting industry by serving as an analyst and commentator for NBC. He also worked for CBS Radio and ESPN. However, in 1997, Ditka returned to coaching when he was hired by the New Orleans Saints. He inked a three-year contract worth $6 million.
As the Saints’ head coach, Ditka led the squad to a 6-10 record in each of his first two seasons. In 1999, Ditka signed a three-year extension worth $7.5 million. Unfortunately, Ditka couldn’t lead the Saints into winning ways as they posted a dismal 3-13 record during that season. As a result, the Saints eventually fired Ditka after a 15-33 overall record under his watch.
Although Ditka claimed he would never coach again after his dismissal from the Saints, in 2010, Ditka returned to the sidelines. Ditka coached the country’s top high school prospects at the Under Armour All-America Game.
Ditka has been involved in numerous other ventures throughout his career. He has worked as an analyst for ESPN and had his own radio show. He got involved with multiple other sports leagues. He has acted in television shows and starred alongside Will Ferrell in Kicking and Screaming, while also featuring in a number of commercials over the years. He has been in the restaurant business, hotel business, and wine business, among other things. You name it, and Mike Ditka has probably been involved in it. And of course, who can forget the Bears sweater vest he made iconic?
After all this, were you at all stunned by Mike Ditka’s net worth in 2022?
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