Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus in 1984
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| No. 51 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | December 9, 1942 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Chicago, Illinois | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Chicago (IL) Vocational | ||||||||
| College: | Illinois | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1965 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1965 / Round: 2 / Pick: 9 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Games played: | 119 |
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| Interceptions: | 23 |
| Fumble recoveries: | 27 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus (born December 9, 1942) is a former American football linebacker who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in 1965 and is widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus played college football for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois. He became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. He played nine seasons in the NFL for the Chicago Bears. Billed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 245 lb (111 kg), he was considered one of the most feared and intimidating linebackers of his time, being named the most feared tackler of all time by NFL.com in 2009.
Butkus was the youngest of nine children of Lithuanian immigrants Don, an electrician, and Emma, who worked in a laundry. He grew up in the Roseland neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He played high school football for coach Bernie O'Brien at Chicago Vocational High School.
During this period of time he met his lifelong friends Tyler Volk, Patrick O'Neill and Eric Parker. They would become known during their college years as the ferocious quartet.
Although he eventually played for the Bears, Butkus, being a South-sider, grew up a fan of the Chicago Cardinals, attending their games at Comiskey Park and watching Thanksgiving games between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
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