By Joiner Martínez
05 Oct 2023, 22:37 PM EDT
Legendary former Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus has died at the age of 80, his family confirmed in a statement.
“He died peacefully in his sleep during the night” at his home in Malibu, California, reads the statement issued this Thursday afternoon by the Chicago Bears.
“Dick was the greatest Bear and one of the greatest players in NFL history,” team president George McCaskey said in a statement. “He was a son of Chicago. He exuded what our great city is about and, not coincidentally, what George Halas looks for in a player: toughness, intelligence, instincts, passion and leadership.
“He refused to accept anything less than the best from himself or his teammates…His contributions to the game he loved will live on forever and we are grateful he was able to be at our first home game this year to be celebrated for last time his many fans.”
Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, also issued a statement on the death of Butkus, to whom he gave some emotional words: “a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the all-time greats of the NFL.”
A life in the Bears
Dick Butkus was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and played his entire professional career with the Bears from 1965 to 1973. He was the face of the tough, physical team. He was a local talent who was born in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois before being drafted by his hometown team.
The linebacker was selected to the Pro Bowl in eight consecutive years. His last NFL season was 1973 and he had to end it early after he suffered a knee injury, which he had been suffering from for years.
This injury caused Dick Butkus to end on bad terms with the Bears.
Butkus filed a lawsuit against the franchise in 1974 alleging that he was forced to play because of persistent knee problems. In the end both parties reached a financial agreement and the former defensive back’s relationship with the Bears improved over the years.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1978 and the NFL Hall of Fame in 1979, so the Bears eventually retired his number 51 in 1994.
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