Dick Butkus: Hall of Fame Chicago Bears Linebacker Dies at 80

Dick Butkus was an American football linebacker, actor and broadcaster, widely regarded as one of the fiercest and greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. Born Richard Marvin Butkus on December 9, 1942, in Chicago, he was the youngest of eight children of a Lithuanian immigrant electrician.

Butkus was a unanimous All-American at the University of Illinois in 1963 and led the Illini to a Rose Bowl victory. The Chicago Bears picked him third overall in the 1965 NFL draft, and he played for the team until 1973, earning eight Pro Bowl selections and two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1969 and 1970. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

After football, Butkus became a broadcaster and actor, appearing in films and television shows and in commercials. He married Helen Essenberg in 1963, and they had three children. He died at his home in Malibu, California, on October 5, 2023, at age 80. Remembered as the face of Bears football, he defined the position for generations.

Achievements: Unanimous All-American at Illinois (1963), third overall pick in the NFL draft (1965), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1979).

Birth: December 9, 1942 - Chicago, Illinois.

Profession: Football linebacker, actor and broadcaster.

Interesting Facts: Sylvester Stallone named his Bullmastiff dog after him, and the dog appeared in the Rocky films. His nephew Luke Butkus coaches in the NFL.