Dick Butkus, Chicago Bears Legend, Dies at 80
05.10.2023 - 22:57
/ variety.com
J. Kim Murphy Dick Butkus, one of the most celebrated linebackers in NFL history who played eight seasons for the Chicago Bears before turning to a career as an actor and sports commentator, died Thursday in Malibu. He was 80 years old.
Butkus’ death was confirmed by the Chicago Tribune. A Chicago native, Butkus was drafted by his hometown team in 1965 after a breakthrough college football career that saw him lead the University of Illinois to a Rose Bowl victory in 1963. During his time with the Bears, Butkus twice won defensive player of the year, appeared in eight Pro Bowls and was named to first-team All-Pro five times.
A towering 245 lb. linebacker, Butkus was a formidable defensive presence on the field. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, with his No.
51 jersey retired by the Bears shortly after. “He was like Moby Dick in a goldfish bowl,” NFL Films’ Steve Sabol told the Los Angeles Times in 1986. After retiring from professional football due to injuries, Butkus took his considerable celebrity into show business, making guest appearances on shows like “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Rockford Files,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Fantasy Island” and “Taxi.” In 1984, he was a main cast member on the ABC cop drama “Blue Thunder,” a TV spinoff from the 1983 helicopter action film of the same name starring Roy Scheider.
The program was canceled after airing 11 episodes. Butkus was also glad to poke fun at his persona with cameos as himself in comedic films like “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” and “The Last Boy Scout” and sitcoms like “The Bernie Mac Show” and “Coach.” In 1985, Butkus rejoined the Bears organization on the radio broadcast team. He moved to “The NFL Today” in 1988 for pregame coverage.
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