When Hallmark Channel‘s new “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” premieres on October 17, 2026, football fans are sure to be touched by the sight of legendary coach Mike Ditka in his heyday, just one week after his death at age 86.
Ditka did not film new scenes for the movie like several other local legends did, but the rom-com includes numerous meaningful nods to the Hall of Famer, who led the Bears to six NFC Central titles, three NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl XX victory in 1985. As Bears fans mourn his passing, Hallmark’s new movie has suddenly become a perfect tribute to the icon.
‘Holiday Touchdown’ Producer Andrew Gernhard Was Thrilled to Get Family’s Approval to Include Mike Ditka
Andrew Gernhard, an executive producer on “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story,” told EntertainmentNow that the movie would not have been complete without featuring the larger-than-life coach.
“Hallmark always plans to have legends and the modern players and coaches in there,” he said of the three “Holiday Touchdown” movies, which have also taken place in Buffalo and Kansas City. “So, obviously, there’s a lot of Mike Ditka in the movie.”
In addition to featuring actual footage from Ditka-led games during flashback scenes, one of the central locations in the movie is a corner pub where a photo of the renowned coach hangs next to the bar. In one sweet moment, Lyndsy Fonseca‘s character Avery, who knows nothing about football, is encouraged by her stepdad to enjoy “the best seat in the house, right next to the coach!”
Gernhard was thrilled with all the ways they were able to honor Ditka, noting, “We reached out to his family to get the rights to use all his images, and the footage, and all kinds of stuff. I think we’re just amazed that we were able to get that all in the movie. I mean, he’s ‘Da Coach!'”
Though Gernhard said Ditka’s passing was obviously “horrible” news for the cast and crew, the star-studded Chicago premiere of the movie on October 14 felt like a sweet homage to his legacy. Gernhard gushed, “To see everybody’s responses to (seeing Ditka) was amazing.”
‘Holiday Touchdown’ Star Marsha Mason Says She Was Touched by Ben Johnson’s Tribute to Mike Ditka
Current Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who filmed several scenes with some of his players and his wife in “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story,” paid tribute to Ditka in a press conference hours after his death on October 12.
“Sad news here this morning,” Johnson said. “As far as I’m concerned, Coach Ditka is the gold standard in terms of this place. He’s a legend around here as a player, as a coach. His impact is still being felt to this day, and as the head coach of the Bears, I feel humbled to be in that same chair that he was once in.”
Four-time Oscar nominee Marsha Mason, who co-stars with Foseca and Robert Buckley in the new “Holiday Touchdown” movie, told EntertainmentNow how moved she was by Johnson’s tribute.
“I thought Ben Johnson’s response to his death was so touching and articulate,” Mason said, “and he talked about being humbled to sit in that seat. It gave me goosebumps when I watched it. There’s nobody like Mike Ditka.”
Hallmark Channel’s “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” premieres on October 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern time and will be available to stream the following day on Hallmark+.
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One Week After NFL Legend Mike Ditka’s Passing, He’ll Appear in New Hallmark Movie (EXCLUSIVE)