Legendary Chicago Bears Linebacker Dick Butkus Dies at 80

NFL Hall of Famer and Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus died this week at his home in Malibu, California, his family announced Thursday. He was 80.

The hulking linebacker struck fear into offenses across the league for his entire nine-year career—all of it in Chicago—and he remains one of the most imposing presences in football history.

Starting in 1965, his professional career with the Bears saw him earn countless accolades: eight Pro Bowls, two Defensive Player of the Year honors and six All-NFL selections. Over nine seasons, Butkus—who weighed 245 pounds and stood at 6-foot-three—made a whopping 1,020 tackles and 22 interceptions.

He was described in 1970 as “the most feared man of the game,” on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

“When I went out on the field to warm up, I would manufacture things to make me mad,” Butkus once told ESPN. “If someone on the other team was laughing, I’d pretend he was laughing at me or the Bears. I’d find something to get mad about. It always worked for me.”

His time as a player was cut short in 1973 due to injuries, but even in retirement he remained glued to all things NFL, continuing to give constant commentary on everything surrounding the Bears. Butkus was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979—the first year he was eligible.

Butkus appeared in hundreds of commercials, TV shows and movies, and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild for more than 40 years. He spent two years on the sitcom My Two Dads playing Ed Klawicki, a cafe owner.

Butkus also spoke fondly of his post-career role as a WGN Radio announcer during the Bears’ 1985 season.

“I loved doing that. The Bears were so good and we went to the Super Bowl,” Butkus said in an interview with WGN News last year. “It was a great year to broadcast because you knew they were going to win, and you just made it exciting. They were something else.”

Fans and friends paid their respects to Butkus Thursday, commending his dedication to the sport and as an advocate for players everywhere.

“Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We also remember Dick as a long-time advocate for former players, and players at all levels of the game. The Dick Butkus Award and his foundation honored achievement on the field and service to the community among high school, college and NFL linebackers.”

Former running back Jarrett Payton commended Butkus as both a legend and a friend. “Dick Butkus wasn’t just one of the greatest football players to ever play the game, he was a remarkable man,” Payton said post. “He was always there for me when I needed him.

Former linebacker Ryan Shazier sent his thoughts to Butkus’ wife and three children, writing that he is “praying for the entire Butkus family tonight. One of the NFL’s trailblazers who gave his entire heart to the team and community.”

The Butkus Foundation—his namesake philanthropic endeavor—continues to operate a number of initiatives dedicated to public wellness, early cardiovascular screenings and anti-drug use initiatives.

In a 2021 interview, Butkus said he wished to be remembered for his legacy off the field—whether it be the award given out in his name to players in recognition of their “giving back and serving others”, or his philanthropic initiatives dedicated to helping save lives.

“I just think the things I’ve done since then with the Butkus Award,” Butkus told USA Today. “I tell the kids, ‘First, you’re recognized as the best of the best linebackers in the country. And second of all, and probably more important, it takes on the responsibility that you have to give back and serve others.’”