Mike Ditka made Naples his home for over 20 years
· Yahoo Sports
It was quite a moment in Naples ― and NFL ― history when two of the most legendary coaches met not on the gridiron but in a restaurant.
Mike Ditka stopped by Shula's Steak House one late afternoon in March 2013, about a mile down from his own steakhouse along U.S. 41 that had closed a few years prior.
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"It's an honor," Ditka told the Naples Daily News about his new wine label's debut at Shula's, owned by longtime Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula.
"To have it in Don's restaurant, that's special. He has a tremendous business. He's nationwide, he's everywhere. I'm very excited about it. It's a great opportunity to get some exposure."
Hall of Famers met in Naples, shared laughs
Ditka, who lived for decades in North Naples, died Oct. 9 at age 86. He was 10 years younger than Shula, who died in 2020, and both are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Twenty-eight years earlier, Ditka brought his undefeated Monsters of the Midway into the Orange Bowl. Shula's Dolphins pummeled Da Bears for their only loss that season. Chicago would go on to win the Super Bowl with what many consider one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history.
Yet on that 2013 spring day in Naples, the two coaches laughed and shared memories as Ditka debuted his wine. For the occasion, servers wore orange T-shirts with "89" on the back, the number Ditka wore when he played primarily for the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys. His playing career spanned from 1961 to 1972.
The wine labels featured Ditka in stages of his career, from the brush-cut early years in a Bears uniform to his bronze bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ditka's representatives first approached Shula's people about debuting the wine at Shula's restaurant. The event was memorable for those who paid to attend. A portion of the proceeds benefited the United Way of Collier County.
'Most wine is good' Ditka once said
"They wanted to sell Mike Ditka wines in Don Shula's Steak House," said Tom Donahue, general manager of Shula's Steak House in Naples, in 2013.
Shula, then 83, welcomed the opportunity to see his fellow coaching colleague, and even joked that Ditka may avoid discussing the 1985 game.
Ditka told the Daily News that he was proud of his wine that, like him, wasn't fancy but pretty solid.
"The wine is a good one. But I have to be honest, most wine is good," said Ditka, who for more than 20 years lived in the Wilshire Lakes community off Vanderbilt Beach Road, between Livingston Road and Interstate 75.
"If you get a bad bottle of wine, it's your own fault."
Ditka said he enjoyed attending such get-togethers with the public.
"Right now, if I wasn't doing this, I'd be getting ready to go to bed," he said.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Mike Ditka made Naples his home for over 20 years