#89-Mike Ditka
Tenure: 1961-1966
Ditka’s number 89 was the most recent and the team says the last number that will be retired. While it’s easy to remember him as “Da Coach” and the man to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl XX win, it’s sometimes easy to forget how great of a player Mike Ditka was. In his six seasons as a Bears player, he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a five-time All-Pro, and won a championship in 1963. He’s the first tight end to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame and is a member of the 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time Teams.
1961: 14 games, 56 receptions, 1076 yards, 12 TD
1962: 14 games, 58 receptions, 904 yards, 5 TD
1963: 14 games, 59 receptions, 794 yards, 8 TD
1964: 14 games, 75 receptions, 897 yards, 5 TD
1965: 14 games, 36 receptions, 454 yards, 2 TD
1966: 14 games, 32 receptions, 378 yards, 2 TD
Runner-up: James Scott
90 down and 10 to go. Come back tomorrow for the 10th and final entry in “The Best Chicago Bears Of All Time By Jersey Number” series as I take a look at the best of the 90s.
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