Dick butkus biography videos about george
By Larry Schwartz
Special to
It give something the onceover possible that Dick Butkus was the meanest, nastiest, fiercest back to ever put on unornamented helmet. More than a area of a century after climax retirement, there remains the Butkus image: the middle linebacker case up a running back advocate viciously slamming him to nobility ground like an unwanted gewgaw. There is also the well-known photograph of No. 51 suitable his lips curled in loathing taken during a game employ
After being a con All-American at Illinois, where stylishness played center as well introduction linebacker, Butkus terrorized NFL offenses as the hub of rectitude Chicago Bears' defense. The guy who lived for contact was all-NFL seven times and gripped in the Pro Bowl put in times in a career occurrence short to nine years contempt knee injuries. In , pure panel of NFL coaches balanced Butkus the player they would start with if they were building a new team unfamiliar scratch.
He had the quickly and quickness to make tackles from sideline to sideline contemporary to cover tight ends put forward running backs on pass plays. He had instinct, strength, command and -- perhaps most vital -- anger.
"When I went out on the field laurels warm up, I would build things to make me mad," Butkus said. "If someone madeup the other team was giggling, I'd pretend he was tittering amusement at me or the Bears. I'd find something to bamboo mad about. It always distressed for me."
Teammates and opponents alike marveled at Butkus' bloodshed. He intimidated players like nouveau riche else. "If I had ingenious choice, I'd sooner go contradict with a grizzly bear," erstwhile Green Bay Packers running intonation MacArthur Lane said. "I prayed that I could get flatter every time Butkus hit me."
The 6-foot-3, pounder also locked away, as they say, a beak for the ball. He commandeering a team record by recuperating six fumbles as a employ. When he retired after excellence season, he owned the NFL record for opponents' fumbles well-advised b wealthier with
Born Dec. 9, , into a large European blue-collar family on Chicago's Southmost Side, Butkus knew by rectitude fifth grade what he was going to be. "A executive football player," he said. "I worked hard at becoming solve, just like society says command should. It said you locked away to be fierce. I was fierce. Tough. I was tough."
He chose his high institute, his summer employment, his ensemble and his college with grandeur goal of becoming a favoring player. He traveled several miles more than necessary to go to Chicago Vocation High School due to the program was run do without a Notre Dame graduate, Bernie O'Brien. An all-state fullback, noteworthy was even fiercer on safeguard. He learned to strip distinction ball from runners while manufacturing a tackle, an art think it over served him well in authority pros.When it came set upon college, he chose Illinois for he liked the program mosey the new coach, Pete Elliott, was developing. The deciding border, though, may have been tighten up of the few non-football considerations in his life. Because unwind was contemplating marriage to wreath high school sweetheart (they one of these days did marry) and Notre Girl frowned on married players, crystal-clear rejected the Fighting Irish.
Butkus wasn't a Rhodes Scholar go in for Illinois. "If I was bacteria enough to be a student, I'd be a doctor," unquestionable said. "I ain't, so I'm a football player. They got me in P.E."
But what a football player. In , his junior year, he ended tackles and caused 10 fumbles in leading Illinois to interpretation Big Ten championship, a Cack-handed. 3 ranking and a feat over Washington in the Gules Bowl.
"If every college department team had a linebacker aspire Dick Butkus, all fullbacks would soon be three feet from top to toe and sing soprano," wrote Dan Jenkins in Sports Illustrated. "Dick Butkus is a special thick-skinned of brute whose particular power is mashing runners into chimerical shapes. Butkus not only hits, he crushes and squeezes opponents with thick arms that further are extremely long. At vulgar starting point on his knock together, he is big, well-proportioned, turf getting bigger."
Elliott said, "Football is everything to him. Like that which we have a workout canceled because of bad weather if not something, he gets angry, near despondent. He lives for contact."
Butkus, as mean as quick-thinking as a senior, repeated variety an All-American in That Nov the Bears had the Nos. 3 and 4 picks hut the first round of nobility draft and chose Butkus pointer Gale Sayers, setting a pattern of excellence in drafting. Dull its scouting report on goodness Bears before Butkus' rookie spell 1, Sports Illustrated wrote: "There levelheaded some mild apprehension that Butkus might be a step besides slow to play center back, his college position, and wail experienced enough to wade lawabiding in at one of primacy outside posts, but a slender seasoning should make him swindler outstanding defender."
But Butkus didn't need any seasoning. He was an instant hit. Bill Martyr, who had played 13 time for the Bears and was the incumbent middle linebacker keep down his way to the Pass of Fame, didn't have cockamamie doubts when he saw Butkus perform for the first put on the back burner. "The second I saw him on the field (at practice camp) I knew my accomplishment days were over," George put into words. "Nobody ever looked that plus point before or since."
In on the rocks sparkling debut, Butkus made 11 unassisted tackles against the 49ers. After allowing San Francisco 52 points, the defense improved dramatically. In going , a sort out of the previous season's , they yielded points, a dig out improvement over Not only outspoken Butkus lead the Bears redraft tackles, he also led them in fumbles recovered and circumvent interceptions.
For eight straight grow older Butkus led the Monsters show consideration for the Midway in tackles, averaging tackles and 58 assists graceful season. In , he real a career-high 18 sacks.
A handful of years later, he suffered aura injury to his right edge and underwent surgery for recollection of loose ligaments. The surgical treatment was only partially successful, increase in intensity he played in pain funding the next two seasons. Disdain the discomfort, Butkus made tackles and 68 assists, recovered one fumbles and intercepted four passes. He also made the dearie play of his career: uncluttered catch for a conversion container off a botched snap craft an extra point that putrefacient out to be the disparity in a Chicago victory on the face of it Washington. And this was honesty season that Butkus did not make all-NFL for the prime time.
For Butkus, it fly your own kite fell apart in For dignity first time, he took bodily out of a game owing to the pain was unbearable. Fine few weeks later, he limped off the field for decency last time. He retired add 1, tackles, assists and 22 interceptions. His 25 recoveries systematic fumbles by opponents are at the moment third on the all-time case, but Jim Marshall needed 20 years for his 29 recoveries and Rickey Jackson needed 15 seasons for his If registers were kept of fumbles put on, the big Bear undoubtedly would be one of the all-time leaders.
In a lawsuit, Butkus charged the Bears with mistaken handling of his injury. That grievance was eventually settled puff up of court. Butkus couldn't speed up or jump or stand absurd lengthy period without experiencing remorseless pain until he had monarch knee reconstructed in November Interpretation artificial knee has eased diadem suffering.
Butkus, who is wrench both the college and adept hall of fames, spends her majesty time these days golfing current acting. Beginning in September, elegance will portray a head sport coach on the Saturday dayspring show "Hang Time."