Chicago — had a photograph of Dick Butkus sneering behind his facemask adorned the cover of the 1970 NFL preview issue of Sports Illustrated, which featured the headline “The Most Feared Man in the Game.” Opponents severely injured by his bone-rattling blows could attest that this was not an exaggeration.

The Chicago Bears announced the passing of Butkus, a middle linebacker who set the standard for the position in the modern era with his speed and ferocity. His age was eighty.

The team’s statement to Butkus’ family confirmed that he passed away while dozing off at his Malibu, California, home.

Butkus was named to the first team of the Pro Bowl five times and participated in eight of his nine seasons before his retirement at 31 due to a knee injury. In 1979, his first year of eligibility, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the prototypical Monster of the Midway. He continues to be regarded as one of the league’s finest defensive players.

“Dick Butkus was a fierce and ardent rival who contributed to the linebacker position’s reputation as one of the greatest in NFL history.” “The Chicago Bears and the position will forever be associated with Dick’s name as the model linebacker due to his intuition, toughness, and athleticism,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “In addition, we recall Dick as a steadfast advocate for former players and players of all skill levels.”

A moment of silence was observed before Thursday night’s Bears game against the Washington Commanders in remembrance of Butkus.

Butkus enjoyed a lengthy second career as a sports broadcaster, an actor in films and television series, and a sought-after pitchman for products varying from antifreeze to beer, capitalizing on his reputation as the most formidable individual in the room. Regardless of whether the script required comedy or drama, Butkus portrayed himself, frequently concealing a gentler side behind his stern exterior.

“I would never go out to hurt anybody deliberately,” Butkus responded humorously when questioned about his reputation on the pitch. “Unless it was significant, such as a league game or something.”

Butkus was the only professional athlete who dedicated his entire career to his hometown. At Chicago Vocational High, he excelled as a linebacker, fullback, and kicker before proceeding to the University of Illinois. Born as the youngest of eight children on December 9, 1942, he was raised on the city’s South Side as a supporter of the Chicago Cardinals, the Bears’ crosstown rivals.

However, following his selection by the Bears and Denver Broncos (a then-member of the defunct American Football League) in the first round of the 1965 NFL Draught, Butkus opted to remain in Chicago and play for NFL founder and coach George Halas. In the same year, the Bears added Gale Sayers, a future Hall of Fame running back, to their roster via an additional first-round selection.

“He was Chicago’s son,” Halas’ grandson and Bears chairman, George McCaskey, said in a statement. “He embodied the qualities George Halas sought in a player—tenacity, intelligence, instincts, zeal, and leadership—and what our great city is about. He refused to tolerate anything less than his or his teammates’ best performance.

Dick Butkus, Fearsome Hall Of Fame Chicago Bears Linebacker, Dies At 80

Butkus assumed the position of middle linebacker from Bill George, who is regarded as the NFL’s first great innovator. In 1954, George abandoned his three-point stance in the center of the defensive line and began each play from several paces away. This allowed him to observe the play’s unfolding and quickly reach the ball.

However, Butkus brought speed, agility, and a scorched-earth attitude that his predecessors could only have envisioned. In his first year, he intercepted five passes, recovered six fumbles, and was unofficially credited with forcing six more. He also made his first of eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. However, his reputation as a disruptor extended far beyond his ability to seize football possession.

Butkus would strike runners from above, envelop them, and propel them to the ground as if they were cloth dolls. He was once referred to by Playboy magazine as “the meanest, angriest, toughest, dirtiest” NFL player and an “animal, a savage, subhuman.” That type of description needs to be set better with Butkus. However, they were difficult to dispute.

Several opponents asserted that Butkus bit them or poked them in the face during pileups, and he admitted that even during warmups, “I would manufacture things to make me mad.” At the old Tigers Stadium, the Detroit Lions utilized an I-formation against the Chicago Bears. However, Butkus rendered the center, quarterback, fullback, and halfback ineffective.

He only sometimes ended his journey there. On multiple occasions, Butkus collided with ball carriers well beyond the sidelines. He pursued them on multiple occasions onto the running tracks surrounding the field and even the spectators.

“Just hitting people wasn’t good enough,” said Ed O’Bradovich, a teammate. “He enjoyed degrading others.”

With a record of 48-74-4, the Bears suffered far more losses than victories during his tenure, despite their endeavors. As a result of tendon issues that arose in high school, Butkus sustained a severe knee injury in the 1970s and underwent preventive surgery before the subsequent season. He contemplated undergoing a second operation following his nine-game absence during the 1973 season.

A surgeon asked, “how a man in your shape can play football, or why you would even want to,” prompting Butkus to declare his retirement in May 1974.

Subsequently, Butkus filed a lawsuit against the Bears for $1.6 million, alleging that he was deprived of adequate medical care and was entitled to the remaining four years of his contract salary. A $600,000 settlement was reached for the litigation, but Butkus and Halas communicated only five years ago.

Sayers and Butkus both failed to qualify for the postseason. Butkus and Sayers had long since departed when the Bears re-entered the postseason in 1977, having won the championship in 1963.

The Bears regained their preeminent position in 1985 by winning their sole Super Bowl. Since then, however, they have only returned to the championship game once. Butkus was unable to comprehend which reason.

“There is no reason why we cannot or should not be in the running at all times,” he stated in June 2019 at the Bears’ 100th anniversary celebration. “I understand that you are concerned about draught selections or other matters that arise when you consistently complete tasks first.” How do you account for the fact that New England has been there for so long? That is incorrect. The Bears ought to be the victor.

Following his departure from football, Butkus gained immediate notoriety. In the fifteen years that followed, he appeared in a dozen feature films, including “Brian’s Song” in 1971, as well as the sitcoms “My Two Dads” and “Hang Time.” In addition, he rejoined the Bears in 1985 as a radio analyst and became Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder’s replacement on the pregame program “The NFL Today” on CBS in 1988.

In recognition of Butkus, the Pro Football Hall of Fame lowered its flags to half-staff.

Through the Butkus Foundation, he assisted in establishing a program to promote early screenings for cardiac disease at a hospital in Southern California. He advocated for a campaign to persuade high school athletes to avoid performance-enhancing drugs and to train and consume well.

The foundation administers the Butkus Award, created in 1985 to recognize the greatest linebacker in college football. In 2008, it was extended to include high school and professional athletes.

McCaskey stated, “Dick had a gruff demeanour, which may have deterred some individuals from approaching him, but he actually had a soft touch.”

In recognition of Butkus, the Pro Football Hall of Fame lowered its flags to half-staff.

“Playing in an era when middle linebacker became one of the game’s glamour positions — and several of Dick’s contemporaries also would end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — his name most often was cited first as the epitome of what it took to excel at the highest level,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said while delivering a statement.

Butkus is survived by his children, Ricky, Matt, and Nikki, as well as his wife, Helen. Luke Butkus, a nephew, has served as a college and NFL coach, including tenure with the Chicago Bears.

SOURCE – (AP)