Ben Johnson Ditka Sweater: Why Bears Fans Want This Tribute at Lambeau

When Mike Ditka died on Friday, Oct. 9, at age 86, Chicago did what it always does: it looked for a way to show up. Within hours, one idea was everywhere on social media. The Bears were headed to Lambeau Field to face the Packers, the first game since Ditka’s death, and fans wanted head coach Ben Johnson to stand on the sideline in Ditka’s trademark sweater vest. Here’s why the “Ben Johnson Ditka sweater” tribute caught on so quickly, and what the sweater means to Bears fans.

Why Fans Want Ben Johnson in Ditka’s Sweater

The request is simple: honor “Da Coach” the way Chicago remembers him. Ditka coached the Bears from 1982 to 1992 and kept wearing the sweater vest in public long after he left the sideline. For many fans, the vest isn’t a costume. It is the picture they have of the man. Reaction online was blunt, and one fan summed up the mood this way:

“I don’t care what the fine is, pay it.”

— Dave Helman, via Larry Brown Sports

That line points to the catch. The NFL requires league-approved sideline attire, so a coach in a vest that isn’t on the approved list could be fined. That is why the tribute is a fan wish rather than a sure thing, and why so many people are talking about it.

What Ben Johnson Has Said About Ditka

Johnson never met Ditka, but he has made clear what the man means to the franchise. Speaking at Halas Hall on Friday, he called Ditka “the gold standard in terms of this place,” and said he felt humbled to sit in the same chair Ditka once did.

“Coach Ditka is the gold standard in terms of this place.”

— Ben Johnson, via Chicago Sun-Times

Johnson also said he planned to speak with the team about Ditka before the Packers game. Bears long snapper Scott Daly added that Ditka “lives on” every time fans show up in the stands in sweater vests, mustaches and glasses. So even if the sideline stays by the book, the sweater will be all over the stadium.

Why the Ditka Sweater Still Means So Much

The vest became part of football history on the biggest stage. Ditka wore a dark blue vest with “BEARS” across the front on the sideline when Chicago beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XX, and that game-worn piece later sold at auction through Goldin for $183,000. Few pieces of coaching clothing carry that kind of weight. It stands for toughness, for the 1985 team, and for a coach who never pretended to be anyone but himself.

If you want to wear the look yourself this season, Fremont Clothing has the Mike Ditka Bears Sweater Vest for the classic sideline look, and the Mike Ditka Bears Sweater if you prefer a full sweater. You can also browse the full Mike Ditka merchandise collection to find a way to honor Da Coach on game day.