Unanimous First Team All-American and standout two-way end at Pittsburgh finished sixth in the 1960 Heisman Trophy voting, a rare achievement for a player at his position.

Mike Ditka, a 1986 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee who starred as a dominant two-way player at Pittsburgh from 1958-60, passed away Oct. 9. He was 86.
 
“Mike Ditka brought an intensity and toughness to the field that few could match,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “At Pittsburgh, he was an extraordinary all-around player who excelled on both sides of the ball, and he went on to become one of the most recognizable figures in football history. From his Hall of Fame playing career to his success as a Super Bowl-winning coach, Mike left an incredible mark on the game. He was a true football legend, and his legacy will endure for generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all those who knew and admired him.”
 
A unanimous First Team All-American in 1960, Ditka excelled as a receiver, defensive end and punter under head coach John Michelosen. He led Pitt in receiving all three seasons, catching 18 passes for 252 yards as a sophomore, 16 for 249 yards as a junior and 11 for 229 yards as a senior. He also averaged 42.5 yards per punt in 1958 and 38.3 yards in 1959, demonstrating the versatility that made him one of the nation’s premier all-around players.
 
A three-year letterman and starter from 1958-60, Ditka served as team co-captain during his senior season and earned invitations to the East-West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and College All-Star Game. His sixth-place finish in the 1960 Heisman Trophy voting was a remarkable achievement for a player at his position. His leadership and physical style of play helped establish his reputation as “Iron Mike,” a nickname that would follow him throughout his career.
 
An exceptional all-around athlete, Ditka also played baseball and basketball at Pitt and won the university’s intramural wrestling championship. He was named to Pitt’s All-Time Team, and the university retired his No. 89 jersey in 1997.
 
Selected in the first round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Ditka played 12 professional seasons with the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, earning five consecutive Pro Bowl invites and four All-NFL selections. He helped Chicago win the 1963 NFL Championship and Dallas capture Super Bowl VI. In 1988, he became the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 
Following his playing career, Ditka spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with the Cowboys before becoming head coach of the Bears from 1982 to 1992, leading Chicago to victory in Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season. He later coached the New Orleans Saints and worked as a television commentator. 
 
Ditka was born Oct. 18, 1939, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, attending Aliquippa High School. Maintaining close ties to his alma mater, he established a $100,000 endowed scholarship fund supporting Pitt student-athletes from Pennsylvania’s Beaver Valley region.