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Sports
The Associated Press

Dick Butkus, fearsome Hall of Fame Chicago Bears linebacker, dies at 80

portrait of a man wearing a cap
Chicago Bears great Dick Butkus watches from the sideline during the first half of the team's NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Sept. 25, in Chicago.
Nam Y. Huh | AP 2022

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Dick Butkus, a fearsome middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, has died, the team announced Thursday. He was 80.

According to a statement released by the team, Butkus' family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, Calif.

Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind.

He was a first-team All-Pro selection five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced his retirement at age 31. Despite a short career, Butkus came to define his position. He routinely ranks among the NFL's top 100 players.

Playing off his tough-guy image, Butkus later acted in movies, TV shows and commercials.