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CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago Bears and all-around NFL legend Dick Butkus has died, the crew confirmed Thursday.
“The Butkus household confirms that soccer and leisure legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep in a single day at residence in Malibu, California.
“The Butkus household is gathering with Dick’s spouse Helen. They recognize your prayers and help.
“Further info might be supplied when it’s out there.”
Richard Marvin Butkus, a Corridor of Fame linebacker who performed for the Bears from 1965 till 1973 and was an iconic consultant of the crew for generations, was 80 years previous. Often called the “Maestro of Mayhem,” Butkus was Chicago through-and-through, starring on and off the sector.
Those that knew Butkus keep in mind him for setting the usual – not only for what it meant to be a ferocious linebacker, however for personifying the that means of what it meant to be a Chicago Bear.
Butkus was born Dec. 9, 1942, to a Lithuanian American household within the Fernwood neighborhood on Chicago’s Far South Facet. He was the youngest of 9 kids.
Butkus’ web site notes that he already knew he was going to be an expert soccer participant by the point he was in fifth grade.
“I labored arduous at turning into one, similar to society says you need to,” Butkus was quoted on its web site. “It (society) stated you needed to be fierce. I used to be fierce. Powerful. I used to be robust.”
Butkus turned a star soccer participant at Chicago Vocational Excessive College, and on the College of Illinois – the place he enrolled in 1961. By his junior yr in 1963, he had already made 145 tackles and compelled 10 fumbles, his web site stated.
He led the Combating Illini to the Massive Ten Championship that yr – and so they completed the season ranked third within the nation, his web site stated. The Illini beat Washington 17-7 within the Rose Bowl that yr.
Butkus was unanimously named All-American in 1964 – enjoying either side of the ball a middle on offense and a linebacker on protection, his web site stated. He later had his College of Illinois jersey, No. 50, retired – and is just one of two gamers to have acquired such an honor there, his web site stated.
His influence was so nice that the Dick Butkus Award is now yearly given to the highest school linebacker within the nation.
Butkus was drafted into the NFL by the Bears in 1965 – sporting jersey No. 51. He had 11 solo tackles in his first recreation, his web site reported.
Butkus was a prime contender for NFL Rookie of the 12 months that yr, however was edged out by his Bears teammate and fellow first-round draft decide Gale Sayers, his web site famous.
Butkus’ web site stated the 6-foot 3-inch, 245-pound powerhouse “terrorized opposing ball carriers and quarterbacks. His mauling fashion of tackling was worthy of a grizzly bear.”
In his nine-year NFL profession, his web site stated, Butkus recovered 27 fumbles and had 22 interceptions.
No. 51 was feared – identified across the league as a vicious tackler with a punishing presence, and thought to be the best linebacker in soccer.
Butkus was quoted on his web site that his fierceness on the sector was a significant component in his success.
“Once I went out on the sector to heat up, I might manufacture issues to make me mad,” he was quoted. “If somebody on the opposite crew was laughing, I would fake he was laughing at me or the Bears. It all the time labored for me.”
Accidents started to take a toll on Butkus’ knees by 1970, however he pressed on for 3 extra years – with 117 tackles and 68 assists, three fumble recoveries, and 4 go interceptions in 1971, his web site stated.
When he retired in 1973, Butkus had been named first-team All-NFL for six years, and had been in eight consecutive Professional Bowls, his web site stated.
Butkus was named the NFL’s tenth greatest participant when the league celebrated 100 years.
After retiring from the NFL, Butkus veered into performing – showing in a well known sequence of Miller Lite adverts by which he performed “a gentlemanly tennis participant who cheerfully debates the beer’s deserves with fellow ex-NFL defensive star Bubba Smith,” his web site stated.
Butkus appeared within the films “Obligatory Roughness” and “Any Given Sunday.” He additionally performed Coach Mike Katowinski within the sitcom “Grasp Time,” Ed Klawicki the sitcom “My Two Dads,” and “Ski” Butowski within the TV adaptation of the film “Blue Thunder,” amongst many different roles.
Butkus additionally made quite a few appearances in scripted TV exhibits as himself over time.
In 1988 and 1989, Butkus additionally served as an analyst on CBS Sports activities’ “The NFL In the present day” pregame present, working alongside Irv Cross and Brent Musburger.
Simply final yr, Butkus took over the Bears Twitter feed – posting a few movies the place he recalled his most memorable moments on the sector.
He stated his favourite recreation by which he ever performed was a recreation in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers at Wrigley Discipline – which the Bears shared with the Cubs earlier than they moved to Soldier Discipline in 1971.
“It is the day that Gale Sayers scored six touchdowns and did all of it completely different type of methods – and you realize, I used to be on all of the kicking groups besides the kickoff crew at that time, however you realize, we busted him on a punt return. I do not know if he had a kickoff return or not. However he had six,” Butkus stated.
Butkus added that Coach George Halas went on to take Sayers out of the sport and exchange him with Jon Arnett. If that had not occurred, Butkus stated, Sayers may have scored seven or extra touchdowns.
That recreation was performed on Dec. 12, 1965. Sayers famous it was a wet day, very like the Bears’ residence opener this yr.
Future Head Coach Mike Ditka was additionally on the sector as a participant for that recreation – a recent Chicago Tribune account notes that he took out 49ers defensive lineman Roland Lakes to assist clear the way in which for the fourth of Sayers’ six touchdowns.
The modern Tribune additionally famous that Johnny Morris took out a 49ers left linebacker to assist clear the way in which in that very same play. You could keep in mind Morris as an iconic sports activities broadcaster, serving as CBS 2 Chicago’s sports activities director from 1975 till 1992, and as an analyst for CBS Sports activities Bears recreation broadcasts alongside Tim Ryan for a lot of of these years.
Quoted by The Athletic, Morris stated, “I was afraid of Dick Butkus – and he was on my crew.”
The Bears received that recreation 1965 recreation 61-20.
A number of years earlier in 2019, Butkus was honored with a 12-foot, 1,000-pound bronze statue outdoors Memorial Stadium on the College of Illinois.
The Corridor of Famer was there to just accept the disclosing. He was unfiltered, sincere and in typical Dick Butkus style, there was completely no fluff.
“I deserve it?” requested Butkus. “Possibly the youngsters as we speak would say it, nevertheless it’s a really humbling deal and also you marvel why, man? I did what I used to be imagined to do and sh*t, I had enjoyable knocking the sh*t out of individuals.”
Butkus had attended the Bears’ common season-opener in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers at Soldier Discipline on Sept. 10.
“By no means one to mince phrases, Butkus had poked enjoyable on the Lions two simply days prior by way of social media after Detroit’s season-opening win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs,” Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports activities wrote.
Former Chicago Bears security Doug Plank stated Thursday night time that Butkus was the epitome of robust – and impressed Plank’s personal hard-hitting fashion.
“I actually felt like I had a accountability to the followers – to convey, you realize, a tone of very bodily, aggressive assault,” Plank stated.
The 2 have been lately collectively at an autograph-signing occasion – the place Plank stated Butkus had appeared as vigorous as ever.
“That information got here very unexpectedly, simply due to the power and enthusiasm he confirmed that day that I used to be with him,” Plank stated.
For a few years, Jim Landry – a former quarterback for the Detroit Lions – was on the receiving finish of a few of Butkus’ massive hits.
“It is an awesome participant, and the passing of an awesome participant that made an awesome influence in soccer within the 60s, 70s,” Landry stated, “and he represented Chicago in a good way, and it was all the time a problem once we performed them. You all the time needed to know the place he was.”
Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey launched a press release Thursday calling Butkus “the final word Bear.”
“He was Chicago’s icon. He exuded what our nice metropolis is about and, not coincidentally, what George Halas appeared for in a participant: toughness, smarts, instincts, ardour, and management,” McCaskey wrote. “He refused to just accept something les than one of the best from himself, or from his teammates.”
The NFL additionally honored Butkus Thursday night.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell launched this assertion:
“Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped outline the linebacker place as one of many NFL’s all-time greats. Dick’s instinct, toughness and athleticism made him the mannequin linebacker whose title will without end be linked to the place and the Chicago Bears.
“We additionally keep in mind Dick as a long-time advocate for former gamers, and gamers in any respect ranges of the sport. The Dick Butkus Award and his basis honored achievement on the sector and repair to the neighborhood amongst highschool, school and NFL linebackers. Dick was a champion of unpolluted sports activities as his ‘I Play Clear’ marketing campaign helped increase consciousness concerning the risks of steroid use amongst highschool athletes.
“We ship our deepest condolences to the Butkus household, the Bears group and the numerous followers and folks he impacted all through his life.”
Combating Illini soccer Coach Bret Bielema famous that he acquired to satisfy Butkus – a childhood idol.
“I’m saddened to study of the passing of Dick Butkus, the best linebacker in soccer historical past.
“As the top coach of his alma mater that he liked, I had the nice honor to satisfy Dick, one in all my childhood idols, final September. He was an incredible individual, in addition to soccer participant, and a loyal Illini.
“Dick embodied the whole lot that Illinois soccer has represented previously and what we glance to characterize into the longer term. His deep love for Illinois soccer might be honored and remembered without end.”
College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Athletic Director Josh Whitman famous that he known as Butkus a pal:
“The Biggest Dwelling Illini has left us.
“Dick Butkus was an enormous in a land of giants. In a recreation constructed on toughness and tenacity, he stood alone. Probably the most imposing figures to ever put on a helmet, away from the sector, Dick was self-effacing, humble, and beneficiant. A cultural icon, Dick leaves a legacy on Americana that may by no means be forgotten.
“On a private word, the friendship I shaped with Dick is one thing I’ll all the time cherish. I’m so grateful for the time I used to be blessed to spend with him and for the numerous moments that we shared. I’ll always remember how touched he was after I informed him he was the inaugural member of the newly shaped Illinois Athletics Corridor of Fame, or how emotional he turned in studying that we have been constructing a statue in his honor. Nor will I overlook dedicating that statue – on a brittle, windy, wet day that was tailored for a ceremony celebrating the hardest man in soccer.
“We grieve for his loss. We take solace within the many fantastic items that Dick gave us, each on the gridiron and within the many years since he left it. On behalf of our whole Illini famILLy, we ship our love and condolences to his spouse, Helen, and the whole Butkus household, with a reminder that Dick Butkus could also be gone, however his reminiscence will reside without end on the College of Illinois – a spot that he completely modified along with his ferocious coronary heart, his indomitable spirit, and his unshakable loyalty.
“Our College is healthier, our recreation is healthier, and our nation is healthier, all as a result of we have been graced by the presence of 1 Dick Butkus.
“Relaxation properly, my pal.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson known as Butkus a “legend.”
“We misplaced a legend as we speak. Dick Butkus was a son of Chicago, who embodied the energy and the tenacity of his hometown with each snap he performed on the gridiron. He was a real Monster of the Halfway, but in addition an actor, a commentator and a statesman for all issues representing our beloved blue and orange.
“My coronary heart is with the Butkus household and everybody he impacted all through an amazing life and profession. He was an enormous of a participant, and a person, and we’ll all the time keep in mind his big love and dedication to the Metropolis of Chicago.”
The Bears took on the Washington Commanders in D.C. Thursday night time. A second of silence for Butkus was held earlier than the sport started.
“The Chicago Bears – we misplaced greater than only a former participant,” Plank stated. “We misplaced a legend.”
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