Nobody hit like Dick Butkus. Nobody before, nobody since. Given the evolution of the game he symbolized, it is safe to say nobody ever will again.
His intensity and desire were unmatched. It seemed as if he were bigger than everyone. Meaner and tougher, too.
In a video for NFL Films, John Facenda, in typically dramatic fashion, said Butkus played “with a religious fervor, with an unrelenting obsession not only to excel but to dominate and demoralize.”
It may have been an understatement.
Butkus died Thursday at age 80. His family issued a statement through the Bears, saying he “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.”
Bears chairman George McCaskey issued a statement that read in part: “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. He refused to accept anything less than the best from himself, or from his teammates.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement: “Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped…
