(Chicago) Dick Butkus, terror of the quarterbacks who faced Chicago, died Thursday at age 80, the Bears announced.
According to a statement released by the team, the linebacker’s family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.
A Hall of Famer, Butkus made his name with hard-hitting tackles, becoming one of the most intimidating players in NFL history.
He was the modern linebacker of choice who left a trail of battered opponents all over the field.
He made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced him to retire at age 31.
Despite a short career, Butkus managed to define his position. He is often ranked among the top 100 players in NFL history.
Accepting roles that reflected his tough-guy image, Butkus went on to star in films, TV shows, and commercials—for example, for beer or antifreeze.
We saw him notably in The Longest Yard (1974) among a dozen films over the course of fifteen years.
The youngest of eight children, Butkus grew up on the South Side of Chicago.
A star player at Chicago Vocational high school, he then shone with the University of Illinois.
“He was the son of Chicago,” Bears CEO George McCaskey said in a statement of the quintessential “Monster of the Midway.”
“He exuded the essence of our great city and also what George Halas wanted to see in a player: toughness, intelligence, instinct, passion and leadership. He refused to accept anything less from himself or his teammates. »
Butkus is survived by his wife Helen and their children Ricky, Matt and Nikki.
