SO SAD: Former Chicago Bears QB died in the fire-affected home together with his family.
Those who knew Butkus remember him for setting the standard – not just for what it meant to be a ferocious linebacker, but for personifying the meaning of what it meant to be a Chicago Bear.
Butkus was born Dec. 9, 1942, to a Lithuanian American family in the Fernwood neighborhood on Chicago’s Far South Side. He was the youngest of nine children.
Butkus’ website notes that he already knew he was going to be a professional football player by the time he was in fifth grade.
“The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu, California.
“The Butkus family is gathering with Dick’s wife Helen. They appreciate your prayers and support.
“Additional information will be provided when it is available.”
Richard Marvin Butkus, a Hall of Fame linebacker who played for the Bears from 1965 until 1973 and was an iconic representative of the team for generations, was 80 years old. Known as the “Maestro of Mayhem,” Butkus was Chicago through-and-through, starring on and off the field.
Those who knew Butkus remember him for setting the standard – not just for what it meant to be a ferocious linebacker, but for personifying the meaning of what it meant to be a Chicago Bear.
Butkus was born Dec. 9, 1942, to a Lithuanian American family in the Fernwood neighborhood on Chicago’s Far South Side. He was the youngest of nine children.
Butkus’ website notes that he already knew he was going to be a professional football player by the time he was in fifth grade.
“I worked hard at becoming one, just like society says you should,” Butkus was quoted on its website. “It (society) said you had to be fierce. I was fierce. Tough. I was tough.”
Butkus became a star football player at Chicago Vocational High School, and at the University of Illinois – where he enrolled in 1961. By his junior year in 1963, he had already made 145 tackles and forced 10 fumbles, his website said.