Mike Ditka says recent heart attack ‘kicked my a– pretty good’: Report

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Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka walks the sidelines during the game between the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field on September 10, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. | Kena Krutsinger/Getty Images

Bears legendary coach Mike Ditka’s health seems to be improving after he suffered a heart attack last month in Naples, Florida, which was first reported by Mike Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Ditka, who was released from the hospital with a pacemaker on Nov. 26, told The Athletic that he doesn’t remember exactly what happened, but he’s “feeling a lot better” now.

“I got my a– kicked pretty good there,” Ditka said. “Every day I get stronger. I’m not exerting myself. When I exert myself is when I can feel it. So things are good. If you had asked me two weeks ago, I couldn’t have said that.”

From now on, Ditka plans to “take it easy.”

“I realize that I have been riding ’em hard and putting up wet for a lot of years,” the Hall of Fame coach said. “Time to slow down. I’m not getting any younger. You’re only going to live ‘til you die anyway. So it’s been a hell of a run.”

Ditka has had issues with his health in the past. He suffered a heart attack while coaching the Bears in 1988 and returned to work 11 days later.

In 2012, Da Coach suffered a stroke while at Bob O’Link Golf Club in Highland Park, the Sun-Times reported at the time.

Ditka, who turned 79 in October, led the Bears to their only Super Bowl win in 1985.

During his NFL career, Ditka was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro tight end with the Bears, Eagles, and Cowboys. In 1988, he became the first tight end to be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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