As you may know, Old National Bank owns permanent billboard space overlooking the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago.    

And every day there’s a new message, usually devoted to a timely topic of interest to Chicagoans.  

Today’s message was dedicated to hometown legend Mike Ditka, who passed away at age 86. Ditka coached The Chicago Bears from 1982-92 and brought the city its only Super Bowl victory (1986). Earlier he played for “Da Bears,” and was on the 1963 team that won the NFL Championship in the pre-Super Bowl era. 

Following his coaching career, Ditka was a longtime NFL broadcast analyst, working for NBC, CBS and ESPN until his retirement in 2016, when he shifted to a part-time role with the latter network to reduce extensive travel.  

He also was a colorful pitchman in many ad campaigns, most notably for a series of Coors Light spots in the aughts and early teens. He also appeared in ads for Campbell’s, McDonald’s, American Express and others.  

He appeared in Super Bowl ads for Boost Mobile, the NFL and was impersonated by Matthew McConaughey in a 2025 Big Game ad for Uber Eats.  

But from Chicago’s standpoint, the billboard message (pictured above and below) says it all.