Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka is one of the most famous players and coaches in NFL history. It’s tough to imagine what football would be like without Ditka. However, the Hall of Famer regrets not taking a little less time for football and more time for politics over the past 10 years.
Ditka is what you would call the opposite of a Barack Obama supporter. Not only that, but he believes he may have had a chance to stop him from getting into office. According to The Dickinson Press (via CNN.com), Ditka was speaking to a group of people in North Dakota when he admitted he wishes he had run opposite Obama to represent Illinois in the 2004 US Senate race.
“Biggest mistake I’ve ever made,” Ditka said of the decision. “Not that I would have won, but I probably would have and he wouldn’t be in the White House.”
Had Ditka run against Obama and won, there’s a good chance not enough people would have known who the current president was and he would not have been able to build a successful presidential campaign. And if you think Ditka’s insane for thinking a former football player and coach could have won a Senate race, you obviously don’t understand the way some Americans vote.
But we digress. Ditka did not run, which means we are still graced with his presence and insight every Sunday on ESPN’s pregame coverage. It wouldn’t be the same without him.
