Bears legend Dick Butkus passes away at 80
Update: The Bears have confirmed the news.
Former Chicago Bears legend and Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus has passed away at the age of 80, according to a report from TMZ Sports.
NFL Legend Dick Butkus Dead At 80 https://t.co/F5WH8a9TEF
— TMZ (@TMZ) October 5, 2023
According to the report, Butkus was found unresponsive in his house on Thursday afternoon. Paramedics arrived and pronounced dead at the scene.
Butkus is considered one of the greatest Bears players in team history. Drafted in 1965, he became one of the most feared linebackers in the NFL. Butkus was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner, was named First-Team All-Pro five times, went to eight Pro Bowls, and made the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 1960s and 1970s. Butkus was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility.
After retirement, Butkus made a television and movie star, appearing in a number of films, as well as commercials. He remained close to the Bears as well, taking part in various social media campaigns over the years and making frequent trips to Soldier Field. He was in attendance for the Bears 2023 season opener less than a month ago when they hosted the Green Bay Packers.
