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NFL Legend Dick Butkus Dies in Malibu at Age 80 - MyNewsLA.com

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Skip to contentPro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, hailed as one of the greatest and most feared defensive players of all time playing for his hometown Chicago Bears, died Thursday at his home in Malibu.The Chicago Bears posted a statement online from Butkus’ family, confirming “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.”The website TMZ first reported the death, saying the 80-year-old Butkus was pronounced dead by paramedics who went to his home at 12:51 p.m. in response to a medical emergency call.The Los Angeles County Fire Department did not immediately confirm Butkus’ death, but said paramedics responded around 1 p.m. to a home in the 3900 block of Villa Costera, but no patient was transported from the scene.Born on the south side of Chicago as the youngest of nine children, Butkus decided in grade school he wanted to play football professionally, and he starred at Chicago Vocational High School and later became a standout linebacker for the University of Illinois. He helped lead the team to a Rose Bowl victory over Washington in the early 1960s.Butkus played on both sides of the ball, playing as a center on offense. He finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1964, at the time the highest defensive vote-getter ever. His number 50 was retired by the University of Illinois.Sign up here for our free newsletters. We’ll send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon.Processing…Success! You're on the list.Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.He was drafted by the Bears in 1965 and had an immediate impact, recording 11 tackles in his first game — now wearing number 51.His fierce style of play — known for forcing and recovering fumbles — made him a feared defensive force, anchoring a squad that became known as the Monsters of the Midway.“When I went out on the field to warm up, I would manufacture things to make me mad,” he once said, according to his official biography. “If someone on the other team was laughing, I’d pretend he was laughing at me or the Bears. It always worked for me.”Injuries suffered as the result of his relentless style of play cut his career short and he retired in 1973. He played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-NFL six times. The Bears later retired his number 51 jersey.Following his playing career, he spent time as an analyst for CBS, but he became known to a whole new audience through his appearance in a variety of television ads, most notably in Miller Lite beer ads, regularly appearing alongside another former NFL defensive star, Bubba Smith.Butkus also appeared in films including “Necessary Roughness” and “Any Given Sunday,” and in the TV series “My Two Dads” and “Hang Time.” He also starred in the ESPN series “Bound for Glory,” following Butkus as he coached a high school football team for a season.He was active on social media, and even posted his week 5 NFL game picks earlier in the day Thursday.He is survived by his wife of nearly six decades, Helen, and three children.Cancel reply

Skip to contentPro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, hailed as one of the greatest and most feared defensive players of all time playing for his hometown Chicago Bears, died Thursday at his home in Malibu.The Chicago Bears posted a statement online from Butkus’ family, confirming “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.”The website TMZ first reported the death, saying the 80-year-old Butkus was...

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NFL Legend Dick Butkus Dies in Malibu at Age 80 - MyNewsLA.com

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