Mike Pyle


 * This article is about the NFL player. For the mixed martial artist, see Mike Pyle (fighter). For other people with the name Michael Pyle, see Michael Pyle (disambiguation).

Michael Johnson Pyle (born July 18, 1939) is a former American football center who played nine seasons between 1961 and 1969 for the Chicago Bears.

Background
Pyle was born in 1939 to William Palmer Pyle, an executive with Kraft Foods and Cathryn Johnson Pyle in Keokuk, Iowa. He has two brothers: William Palmer Pyle Jr. (who played offensive guard at Michigan State University and with the Baltimore Colts, the Minnesota Vikings and the Oakland Raiders) and Harlen Pyle.

Pyle attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, where he wrestled and threw the discus and shot put in addition to playing football. He was an Illinois state wrestling champion in 1957 in the heavyweight division. He also won a state championship in 1957 for his efforts with the discus and set a state record on his way to winning the shot put title, as well.

He graduated in 1957 from New Trier and went on to Yale University, where he was a member of Skull and Bones. He played center for the Bulldogs and captained the undefeated 1960 team.

Chicago Bears
Pyle played nine seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1961 through 1969 where he played for George Halas. In 1963 he earned a Pro Bowl berth and served as the Bears offensive team captain from 1963 through his retirement. He was named to the Sporting News First Team - All Conference and the UPI Second Team - All NFL in 1963 and to the New York Daily News All NFL team in 1965.

Broadcast career
After his retirement in 1969, Pyle was a broadcaster for WGNG radio, where he was the Bears pre and post game program host, as well as the host of a Sunday sports talk show. He later co-hosted the "Mike Ditka Show" when Ditka coached the Bears.