NFL legend Dick Butkus has died at the age of 80, his family confirmed in a statement.
Paramedics responded to a medical emergency at Butkus’s Malibu residency at 12.51pm Thursday, according to TMZ. The former linebacker was reportedly declared dead at the scene.
The report claimed that Butkus was found unresponsive when someone went to check on him at the property.
The Butkus family later confirmed that the Chicago Bears icon had died ‘peacefully’ overnight.
‘The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu, California,’ a family statement read.
NFL legend Dick Butkus has died at the age of 80 after a medical emergency at home
Butkus, a Chicago native, is hailed as one of the NFL’s greatest linebackers of all time
The former linebacker made an appearance at the Bears’ season opener just last month
‘The Butkus family is gathering with Dick’s wife Helen. They appreciate your prayers and support. Additional information will be provided when it’s available.’
He is survived by his wife, Helen and three children, Ricky, Matt, and Nikki.
The Bears said: ‘Dick was the ultimate Bear, and one of the greatest players in NFL history. He was Chicago’s son. He exuded what our great city is about and, not coincidently, what George Halas looked for in a player: toughness, smarts, instincts, passion and leadership.’
The statement continued: ‘He refused to accept anything less than the best from himself, or from his teammates.’
‘Dick had a gruff manner, and maybe that kept some people from approaching him, but he actually had a soft touch. His legacy of philanthropy included a mission of ridding performance enhancing drugs from sports and promoting heart health.’
‘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.’
He is hailed as one of the greatest linebackers of all time and was a defensive standout at the University of Illinois before being taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1965 NFL draft by his hometown Chicago Bears.
Butkus, coming in a 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, spent his entire NFL career with the Bears before retiring in 1973 and the team retired his No. 51 jersey in 1994.
Throughout his impressive career, Butkus won six All-NFL selections, two Defensive Player of the Year honors and eight Pro Bowls.
NFL legend Dick Butkus has died at the age of 80 after a medical emergency at home
Butkus, a Chicago native, is hailed as one of the NFL’s greatest linebackers of all time
He spent his entire NFL career with the Bears and the team retired his No. 51 jersey in 1994
He had 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries over the span of nine seasons
He was considered to be one of the most intimidating players to take to the field, and earned several nicknames for his style of play, including The Maestro of Mayhem, The Enforcer, The Animal and The Robot of Destruction.
He had 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries over the span of nine seasons.
Butkus was named to the NFL’s All-Decade teams in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the 75th and 100th Anniversary teams.
In 1979, his first year of eligibility, Butkus was enshrined to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Even following his retirement from the league, Butkus continued to follow the NFL, working as an analyst for CBS.
And, in recent years, he shared his thoughts on the Bears to X, formerly known as Twitter, where he gained a large following.
Just last month, he made an appearance at the Bears’ game, where he was a member of the Bears alumni honored during halftime of Chicago’s season opener against the Green Bay Packers.
In an interview during the game, Butkus said that it was ‘always good to be back in Chicago, especially when the Bears are going to kick the Packers’ [butt].’
Even following his retirement from the league, Butkus continued to follow the NFL
Following his playing days, Butkus worked as an analyst for CBS (pictured in 1989 with Irv Cross (C) and commentator Brent Musburger)
The Hall of Famer and Gale Sayers chat on the sidelines before a game in September 2009
He had also visited Halas Hall, the Bears’ training facility the week before, as he had done the previous year too.
‘It was awesome to have him here. It was special,’ Bears coach Matt Eberflus said in 2022.
‘I got a chance to take him up to my office and show him the Monsters of the Midway behind my desk. Of course, he’s on top, which is cool. He really liked seeing that. It was a joy to visit with him.’
Away from football, Butkus starred in a number of films and TV shows, including ‘Any Given Sunday,’ ‘Hang Time,’ and ‘The Last Boy Scout.’
Butkus was the youngest of eight children, being born Richard Marvin Butkus on December 9, 1942 and reportedly weighing in at a staggering 13 pounds and six ounces at birth.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Butkus was a huge fan of the then-Chicago Cardinals as a child.
His older brother, Ron, also played college football and tried out for the Cardinals but a knee injury forced him into quitting.
Butkus married Helen, his high school sweetheart, in 1963 while they attended college and they went on to have three children together. One of their sons, Matt, played college football as a defensive lineman for the USC Trojans.
Away from football, Butkus starred in a number of films and TV shows. Pictured in the 1984 film, ‘The Long Flight’
Butkus is an episode of The Love Boat that aired on October 6, 1984
Tributes from the NFL world came flooding in after the news of his death broke, with the Bears leading the way.
‘Dick Butkus was a legend who embodied what it means to be a Chicago Bear. Our hearts go out to his family and friends,’ the Bears’ official X account shared.
The league also honored the footballing great, writing: ‘The NFL is mourning the loss of legendary Hall of Famer Dick Butkus. Our thoughts are with his family and the Bears organization.’
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shared his own testimony to the legend in a statement that read: ‘Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears.
‘We also remember Dick as a long-time advocate for former players, and players at all levels of the game. The Dick Butkus Award and his foundation honored achievement on the field and service to the community among high school, college and NFL linebackers. Dick was a champion of clean sports as his ‘I Play Clean’ campaign helped raise awareness about the dangers of steroid use among high school athletes.
‘We send our deepest condolences to the Butkus family, the Bears organization and the many fans and people he impacted throughout his life.’
Tributes from the NFL and the wider sporting world came flooding in after the news broke
Retired Bears star linebacker Lance Briggs wrote: ‘One time for@thedickbutkus! RIP to the original monster of the midway!’
NBA star Magic Johnson even paid tribute to the NFL icon, posting: ‘NFL Hall of Famer and one of the hardest hitting linebackers I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, Dick Butkus, passed away today. May he rest in peace! Cookie and I are praying for his family and loved ones!’
Sports anchor and son of NFL icon Walter Payton, Jarrett Payton shared: ‘Dick Butkus wasn’t just one of the greatest football players to ever play the game, he was a remarkable man. He was always there for me when I needed him. Now, these 3 #Bears legends are in heaven, sharing a drink, getting ready to watch the #TNF game from the best seats. Here’s to you, @thedickbutkus. Your spirit will live on forever. #RIPButkus.’
News of Butkus’s death broke just hours before his beloved Bears’ Thursday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders.
