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Posts Tagged ‘Mike Ditka Speaker’

The 1985-86 Chicago Bears are remembered as one of the greatest and most flamboyant NFL teams in history. Who can forget the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’? It’s cast of characters included quarterback Jim McMahon, Richard Dent, ‘Refrigerator’ Perry and Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary, Walter Payton and Dan Hampton.

Mike Ditka & Dan Hampton are two of PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent's most popular speakers

PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent Agency books many of the ’85 Bears for speaking engagements, personal appearances and endorsements, but works most closely with Mike Ditka and Dan Hampton.

Ditka seems to get more popular with age. Not only does he have two namesake restaurants in Chicago and one in Pittsburgh, he’s served as a popular pitchman for such companies as Coors and Charles Schwab. PFP negotiated his deal a couple of years ago with Circuit City, where he appeared alongside fellow Hall of Famer John Elway in a series of national print and tv ads.

Ditka was a popular player and even more popular coach for the Bears. In 10 season as head coach, he led the Bears to six NFC Central titles and three trips to the NFC Championship Game. He coached the Bears to the Super Bowl title in 1985-86.

Although not as high-profile on the national stage as Ditka, Hampton has also enjoyed success since his playing career ended. He’s the current host of the syndicated Pro Football Weekly as well as a local Chicago radio show on WSCR 670 The Score. He has served as pitchman for such companies as Chevrolet and Firestone and is currently spokesperson for Illinois Back Institute , a deal negotiated for him by PFP. He’s also a popular motivational speaker and makes personal appearances around the country meeting/greeting guests and signing autographs. In fact, just last week, he gave an uplifting speech at a high school function in the Chicago area.

Hampton spent his entire 12-year career with Chicago and is one of three Bears to play in three different decades. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was named to the 1980’s All Decade Team. He finished his career ranked third all-time on the Bears for sacks and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.19

Both Ditka and Hampton reside in the Chicago area.

If you need information for booking Mike Ditka or Dan Hamilton as your next speaker or for an appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Mike Ditka or Dan Hamilton booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a sports speakers bureau and top booking agent for sports stars, professional athletes, entertainers and celebrities. For more information call 800.966.1380

Ron Jaworski NFL Broadcaster

In the past for many football players, once their playing careers ended, they no longer had a way to stay involved with the game. Sure, some would go onto coaching or front-office positions, but the majority would have to get a “real” job and start a new career.

With the explosion of the NFL’s popularity and the continued growth of cable tv, many players are starting to pursuit broadcasting careers. There have always been broadcasting opportunities for a small number of former players such as Don Meredith and Frank Gifford, but the number of opportunities today is what makes a second career in broadcasting a viable option.

This season, games will be broadcast on NBC, CBS, FOX Sports, ESPN and NFL Network. Additionally, regional networks like Fox Sports Net, Comcast and Yes Network create opportunities that didn’t exist 10 years ago.

Who’s better to give an opinion about football than a former player? They understand the intricacies of the game better than most and can relate their experiences to the broadcast. For me, I’d rather listen to a player share his knowledge than someone who’s never played.

Ask a 15-year old sports fan about Ron Jaworski and I’ll bet he mentions his role as an ESPN analyst rather than a former quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. The same thing goes for Hall of Famer Howie Long – he’s likely recognized more today as an analyst for FOX Sports than as one of the greatest defensive ends in NFL history.

Another opportunity for players lies with the NFL Network, which was created by the league in 2003. The network covers football 24 hours a day and features a number of former players as analysts, among them Marshall Faulk, Terrell Davis, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp and Rod Woodson.

It seems that whenever a high-profile player retires, the first thing he does is launch a broadcast career. Tiki Barber signed a mega deal with NBC and Rodney Harrison announced his retirement the same day it was  announced he was joining NBC.

Recognizing the growing opportunities, the NFL now offers the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp for current and retired players aspiring to become broadcasters. The four-day crash course includes workshops on field reporting, game studio analysis, radio broadcasting and research. Among the “students” who’ve gone onto broadcasting careers are Tim Hasselbeck, Dhanti Jones and Derrick Mason.

And it’s not just players. Coaches are in high demand as well. Both Jimmy Johnson and Mike Ditka have enjoyed successful broadcasting careers since their coaching days. And Jon Gruden was recently hired as an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football after getting fired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency is a speakers bureau and sports booking agent for football speakers, NFL speakers, athlete appearances and endorsements. For more information call 800.966.1380