Dick Butkus, Legendary Bears Linebacker, Dies at 80

Dick Butkus, one of the most well-known Bears players in history, has died, his family and the team confirmed on Thursday. He was 80 years old.

The Butkus family shared that the legendary linebacker died peacefully in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, Calif. No cause of death was given in the announcement.

Butkus, a Chicago native, played for the Bears for his entire career from 1965 to ’73. During that span, he was named Defensive Player of the Year twice, made eight Pro Bowls and was a five-time first-team All-Pro. His No. 51 jersey went on to become one of the 14 numbers retired by the Bears.

Bears chairman George H. McCaskey released a statement on Butkus’s passing, calling the linebacker “the ultimate Bear.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also released a statement addressing the death of the league legend.

“Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL’s all-time greats,” Goodell said. “Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears.”

Butkus later entered into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He played college football at Illinois, where he was named an All-American twice as well as the Big Ten’s MVP. His No. 50 was also retired by the program.

Butkus’s career wasn’t just limited to the football field. Butkus took on various acting roles in retirement, appearing in a few television shows, such as My Two Dads and Hang Time. He is also well-known from various Miller Lite commercials he was in over the years.

Butkus remained active in the NFL community, working as an analyst on occasion. He ran a podcast titled Butkus Beyond the Line, where he also made weekly NFL picks. His last picks were posted early on Thursday.