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NFL Hall-of-Fame Legend Dies at 80

The Most ‌Feared Man in⁤ the Game: Legendary NFL ⁤Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus Dies ‍at​ 80

A⁢ photo of Dick Butkus sneering behind his facemask filled the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 1970 NFL preview, topped by the headline, “The Most⁤ Feared Man in the Game.” ‌Opponents⁢ who wound up on the business end of his bone-rattling⁤ hits could testify that wasn’t an exaggeration.

Butkus,⁣ a middle ‌linebacker​ for the Chicago Bears whose speed and⁢ ferocity set the standards for the⁢ position in‍ the modern era, has died, the team‌ announced Thursday. He​ was 80.

According to a statement released​ by the team, Butkus’ family confirmed that he died in‌ his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.

Butkus ⁣was a first-team All-Pro five times and made the Pro Bowl in ‍eight of his⁢ nine⁢ seasons before a knee injury forced him to retire at ⁣31. He was‍ the quintessential Monster of the Midway and was⁤ elected to the Pro Football Hall ​of Fame in 1979, his first year‍ of eligibility.

He‌ is still considered one of the greatest defensive ⁢players ⁤in league history.

Trading on⁢ his ⁣image‌ as​ the toughest guy​ in the room, Butkus enjoyed a long second career ‌as a sports broadcaster, an actor ⁤in movies and TV series, and a sought-after‌ pitchman for products ranging from ⁢antifreeze ‌to beer. Whether the script called for comedy or drama, Butkus⁢ usually resorted to playing himself, often with his gruff exterior masking⁣ a softer ​side.

“I wouldn’t‌ ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately,” Butkus⁢ replied tongue-in-cheek when asked about ‌his on-field⁣ reputation. “Unless it ​was, you ‌know, important … like‌ a league game or something.”

Butkus was the rare pro athlete who played his entire career close to⁤ home. He was a ​star linebacker, fullback and kicker at Chicago ‌Vocational High‌ who went‍ on‍ to play at the University ⁣of Illinois. ​Born on Dec. 9,⁣ 1942 as the youngest of eight children, he ‌grew up on the city’s South Side as a fan of the Chicago Cardinals, the⁢ Bears’ crosstown rivals.

But after being drafted in the first round ⁢in 1965 by both the Bears and ⁤ Denver Broncos ‌(at the time, a ⁤member of‌ the now-defunct American Football League), Butkus chose to remain in Chicago and play‍ for ​ NFL founder and⁢ coach George Halas.

The Bears also⁢ added future Hall of Fame running back⁤ Gayle Sayers to the⁤ roster ⁤that⁢ year with another ​first-round pick.

“He was Chicago’s son,” Bears chairman George McCaskey, Halas’ grandson, said in a statement. “He exuded what our great city is about and,​ not coincidentally, what George Halas looked for in a player: toughness, smarts, instincts, passion and leadership. ⁤He refused ‍to accept anything less ‌than the best ‌from ​himself, or⁣ from his ‍teammates.”

Butkus inherited the middle ‌linebacker job from Bill George, a Hall of Famer credited with popularizing⁣ the position in the NFL. In 1954, George‌ abandoned his three-point stance in the middle of the defensive line and started each play several paces removed, a vantage point that allowed him to watch plays ‍unfold and‌ then ​race to the ball.

Butkus, however, brought speed, agility and a scorched-Earth attitude to the job ⁤that his‍ predecessors only imagined. He intercepted​ five passes,‌ recovered six fumbles⁢ and was unofficially credited⁤ with forcing six more in his rookie⁣ year, ⁣topping ​it off with the first of eight straight Pro Bowl appearances.

But his reputation as a disruptor extended well past ⁤the‌ ability to‌ take away the football.

Butkus would ​hit runners high, wrap them ⁤up⁢ and drive them ‌to ​the ⁢ground⁣ like a rag doll. Playboy magazine ​once described him as ‍“the meanest, angriest, toughest,‌ dirtiest” player in the NFL and an “animal, a ​savage, subhuman.”

Descriptions like that never sat well with Butkus. But they were also⁢ hard ⁢to argue.

Several opponents claimed Butkus‌ poked ‌them in the ⁢face⁤ or bit ⁤them ‍in pileups,⁢ and he acknowledged that during warmups, “I would manufacture things to make ‌me ⁤mad.”

When the Detroit ⁢Lions unveiled an I-formation against the Bears ⁢at old Tigers Stadium, Butkus knocked every member of the “I” — the center, quarterback,⁤ fullback⁣ and halfback⁣ — out of the game.

And ‌he didn’t always stop ⁤there. Several times Butkus crashed into ball carriers ​well past the sidelines. ‍More than once he pursued them ​onto running ‍tracks surrounding the field and even into the stands.

“Just to hit people wasn’t good enough,” teammate Ed O’Bradovich said. “He loved‍ to crush people.”

Despite⁢ those efforts, the Bears lost ‌plenty more games during his tenure ⁣than ⁣they won, going⁤ 48-74-4.⁢ Dealing⁢ with tendon ​problems that ‍began‍ in high⁤ school, Butkus suffered a serious injury to​ his right​ knee‌ during the 1970 ​season and had preventive⁣ surgery before the⁢ next one.⁣ He considered a second‍ operation after being​ sidelined nine games into the 1973 season.

When a surgeon⁢ asked⁤ him “how a man ‌in‍ your ​shape can play football, or why you ​would even want to,” Butkus announced his retirement in May 1974.

Soon after, Butkus sued the Bears for $1.6 million, ‌contending he was provided‍ inadequate medical care ⁣and⁤ owed the⁤ four years of salary remaining on his​ contract. The lawsuit was settled‌ for ⁢$600,000, but Butkus and Halas didn’t speak for five ⁤years.

Butkus, like Sayers,⁢ never ​reached the ⁣postseason. The Bears won the 1963 championship and by the⁢ time they ‍made the playoffs again in 1977, Butkus and Sayers were long gone.

The Bears climbed back to the top in the 1985 season with their lone Super Bowl championship. But they⁤ have been back ​to the title ​game only one time since. Butkus couldn’t understand‌ why.

“There’s no reason why we can’t or shouldn’t‍ be in the run​ all the time,” he said at the Bears’ 100th anniversary celebration ‌in June 2019. “I know you’ve got⁢ those​ draft choices or whatever when you‌ finish‍ first all ‌the⁤ time. How can you ‌explain New England being up there all these years. That’s‍ not‍ right. The Bears should be the ones.”

After leaving⁢ football, Butkus became ‍an ‌instant celebrity. He appeared in “The Longest Yard” in 1974 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.

Through the Butkus Foundation, he helped establish a program ‍at a Southern California hospital to encourage early screenings to⁢ detect heart disease. He promoted a campaign ⁣to⁢ encourage high ⁢school ⁤athletes to ​train and eat well and​ avoid ‌ performance-enhancing‍ drugs.

The foundation oversees the ​Butkus Award, established in 1985 to⁣ honor college football’s best linebacker. It was expanded​ in 2008 to include pros and high school players.

“Dick‍ had a gruff manner, and‍ maybe that kept some people from approaching him, but he actually had a soft touch,” McCaskey said.

He is survived by his wife, Helen, ⁣and children Ricky, Matt and ⁤Nikki.

Nephew Luke⁤ Butkus has coached in college and the⁣ NFL, including time with the⁢ Bears.

The ⁣Western Journal has reviewed this Associated‍ Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

The post Legendary NFL Hall-of-Famer Dead at​ 80 appeared first on The Western Journal.

What‍ made Dick Butkus such an intimidating‌ presence on the field and one of the toughest players in ‌NFL history?

Journal.com/nfl-player-moves-across-country-support-married-minnesota-coach/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>the NFL during his time with the‌ Bears in the ⁣1950s and 1960s. He made an immediate impact, earning⁣ the NFL’s Rookie of the Year ‌award​ in ‌1965 and establishing⁢ himself ‌as one of the league’s most dominant players⁣.

Throughout⁣ his career, Butkus was known for his⁤ punishing hits​ and aggressive style of ⁣play.‌ He ⁢had a knack for reading offenses and was always in the right place at the right time. His intimidating presence​ on the field struck fear⁣ into⁤ the hearts of his ⁣opponents and earned him a⁢ reputation as one of the‌ toughest players in NFL history.

Off the field, ​Butkus ⁢was⁣ equally respected. He was known for his work ethic,‍ his ⁣dedication to the game, ⁤and his leadership⁣ skills. He was a team player and always put the success of the ‍Bears above his own⁤ personal achievements. His teammates looked up to him and saw him as a role model.

After retiring from football, Butkus found success in broadcasting and acting. His ⁤rugged​ looks and ⁢gritty persona made him ‌a ​natural fit⁢ for the camera. He ⁤earned rave⁤ reviews for his⁣ work as a sports commentator and analyst and appeared in several movies ‍and TV shows. But his true passion ​was always football, and he remained involved in ‌the sport throughout his life.

Butkus’ impact on⁢ the game of ‌football extends beyond his playing career and his contributions to ‌the sport. He⁤ was an ambassador for the game and a‍ symbol‍ of what ‍it⁤ means to be ​a⁣ true competitor. ⁢He inspired generations of players with ‍his tenacity and dedication, and his legacy will continue to ⁤live​ on in the hearts‍ and⁢ minds of football fans everywhere.

Dick Butkus’ death is ‌a ⁣loss not only for the Bears and the NFL, but for the entire sports world. He was a larger-than-life⁤ figure who left ‍an indelible mark on the game ⁤of⁤ football and will be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play⁤ the game. ⁣His toughness, skill,⁣ and passion for ⁢the ‌sport will always be remembered and his impact will never be forgotten.


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