Report Says Bears to Fire Ditka as Coach Today

After 11 seasons that included one Super Bowl championship, Mike Ditka apparently has worn out his welcome.

Ditka and most of his staff will be fired today by club President Michael McCaskey before McCaskey leaves for NFL meetings in Dallas, the Chicago Sun-Times reported in today’s editions.

Chicago radio station WLUP also reported that Ditka will be fired. Both reports quoted unnamed sources.

McCaskey met with assistant coaches Monday, saying he made progress with several whose contracts have expired. “No announcement today,” he told reporters before driving away for the day.

Ditka refused to say whether he met with McCaskey to discuss his contract or other issues, but later, on his radio talk show, he said he had not spoken with the team president.

“I was in my office all day,” Ditka said. “My understanding was that we were going to talk today, and we didn’t. I think a couple of the assistants talked to him.”

Ditka has one year remaining on his three-year contract. But recent reports have said he would not be due his full $900,000 salary if he were fired.

The Bears were 5-11 this season, their worst since 1975, and problems cropped up between Ditka and quarterback Jim Harbaugh as well as the coach and the local media.

Still, Ditka has said he wants to return for a 12th season. But he added that he wants more power over personnel.

After Chicago’s season-ending 27-14 loss to Dallas on Dec. 27, McCaskey went on vacation, saying he would evaluate the situation upon his return.

Linebacker coach Dennis McGinnis said he and the other assistants had met individually and together with McCaskey.

“The only things discussed were player evaluations,” McGinnis said. “Believe me. Not one thing was said about anything else.”

Asked if it was unusual not to have Ditka in on the meetings, McGinnis said “I’m not going to get involved in that.”

Ditka, who played tight end for the Bears from 1961-66, became their coach in 1982.

He took over a team that had two winning seasons in its last 19. Within four seasons he had the Bears in Super Bowl XX, where they beat the New England Patriots, 46-10, to finish with an 18-1 record.

His record is 106-62 and, under him, the Bears have won six NFC Central Division championships.

* OILERS: Houston fires two coaches, making them scapegoats for Sunday’s collapse. C3