Dick Butkus, the hard-hitting Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker
who starred for his hometown Chicago Bears before his
outgoing personality
earned him popularity in television and film acting,
has died at the age of 80, the team announced Thursday.
Butkus died “peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu,”
California, a statement from his family,
posted by the Bears on social media, reads.
“The Butkus family is gathering with Dick’s wife, Helen.
They appreciate your prayers and support,” the family’s statement reads.
Butkus was “the ultimate Bear,
and one of the greatest players in NFL history,”
Chicago Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said.
“He was Chicago’s son,” McCaskey said.
“His contributions to the game he loved
will live forever and we are grateful he was
able to be at our home opener this year to be celebrated one last
time by his many fans.”
News of Butkus’ death spread more than an hour
before the Bears started
a Thursday night game against the Washington Commanders.
The teams and fans observed a moment of silence
before the game at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.
A ferocious tackler drafted out of the University of Illinois,
Butkus was an imposing force as the
Bears’ middle linebacker for his nine
NFL seasons in the 1960s and 1970s, and made eight Pro Bowls.
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Story Source: CNN News
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