On October 5, 2023, the Chicago Bears announced that Hall of Famer Dick Butkus had passed away peacefully in his sleep in his home in Malibu, California. Butkus was notable for being one of the fiercest NFL defensive players of all time. As fellow Hall of Famer Deacon Jones described, Butkus was "a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital."
Born December 9, 1942, in Chicago, IL, Butkus based his entire football playing career within Illinois. He played for Chicago Vocational High School, playing multiple positions at fullback, linebacker, punter, and placekicker, winning "a high school player of the year award as a junior", per ESPN. Playing for the University of Illinois as a center and linebacker from 1962 to 1964, Butkus helped lead the Fighting Illini to a 1964 Rose Bowl victory and an 8-1-1 record. He would be named as the Big Ten's most valuable player in the 1963 season. In his senior season in 1964, Butkus was named UPI's Lineman of the Year and was chosen to the 1964 All-America team. He finished third in Heisman voting that year, a rare feat for defensive players at the time. His service at Illinois led to his #50 jersey number to be retired later on.
Butkus would be drafted third overall in the 1965 NFL Draft to his hometown Chicago Bears. He was brought in to succeed Hall of Fame linebacker Bill George, and recorded five interceptions and six fumble recoveries his rookie year. He would finish third in AP's rookie of the year voting.
In a very successful nine-year career, Butkus would be named to the Pro Bowl eight times from 1965 to 1972. He would be listed on the 1st Team All-Pro five times, and finished top 5 in AP MVP voting in 1968, 1969, and 1970. Over his career, Butkus recorded 1,020 tackles and 22 interceptions. His career unfortunately ended early in 1973, at 31 years old, when he would consider an operation on his right knee nine games into the season, being convinced by a doctor to retire. Despite his ferocious playing, Butkus and the Bears never made the playoffs during his career, going 48-74-4 in his time with the team.
After retirement, Butkus sued the Chicago Bears for $1.6 million, stating "he was provided inadequate medical care and owed the four years of salary remaining on his contract." The lawsuit caused a brief rift between him and coach George Halas, a rif that would later be mended and Butkus would soon support the Bears again.
Butkus would later be selected to the NFL's all-decade teams for the 1960s and 1970s, and would be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first eligible year in 1979.
"Dick was the ultimate Bear, and one of the greatest players in NFL history," Bears chairman George McCaskey said in a statement, as reported by ESPN. "He was Chicago's son. He exuded what our great city is about and, not coincidentally, what George Halas looks for in a player: toughness, smarts, instincts, passion and leadership.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated his praises on the Hall of Famer: "Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats. Dick's intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears."
On his ferocity, Butkus would tell NFL Films, "I want to just let 'em know that they've been hit, and when they get up, they don't have to look to see who it was that hit 'em," Butkus once told NFL Films. "It shouldn't be any puzzle. When they come to, they got to say, 'It must've been Butkus that got me.'"
Bears teammate Ed O'Bradovich had his own insight on Butkus, stating, "Just to hit people wasn't good enough. He loved to crush people."
Post-retirement, Butkus delved into film and television. AP News explains, Butkus "appeared in “Brian’s Song” in 1971 and a dozen feature films over the next 15 years, as well as the sitcoms “My Two Dads” and “Hang Time.” He also returned to the Bears as a radio analyst in 1985, and replaced Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder on CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show in 1988."
He also would approach philanthropy, through his Butkus Foundation, known for presenting the annual Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker at the high school, collegiate, and professional level.
A mean-natured player whose stature alone had the power to kill you, but a family man outside of the jersey and pads that has an immense love for the city of Chicago.
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