Mike Ditka Says Football Risk Is Worse Than Reward

But even Ditka re-thinks the effects the sport can have on the body. The Hall of Fame tight end and Super Bowl-winning coach recently told HBO’s Real Sports that playing football isn’t worth it.

During an interview with Bryant Gumbel, Ditka asked Gumbel if he would want his hypothetical eight-year-old son to play football.

Gumbel responded with a no, and Ditka agreed.

“Nope — and that’s sad,” Ditka said in the piece. “I wouldn’t. My whole life was football. I think the risk is worse than the reward. I really do.”

Gumbel interviewed Ditka as part of an upcoming piece on the 1985 Bears, who Ditka coached. The Bears went 15-1, winning their only Super Bowl to date with a team featuring Hall of Famer’s Walter Payton, Mike Singletary and Richard Dent.