Legendary NFL Linebacker Dick Butkus Dead At 80 | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Ryan Saavedra.

    Legendary NFL linebacker Dick Butkus passed away at his home on Thursday. He was 80 years old.

    TMZ reported that paramedics arrived at his home in Malibu after they received a call about in cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Butkus played middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears for nine seasons after being drafted in the first round of the 1965 NFL Draft out of the University of Illinois.

    The 6'3" 245-pound linebacker was selected to the Pro Bowl in eight of the nine seasons he played in the NFL, according to ESPN. He finished his career with over 1,000 tackles and 22 interceptions.

    Butkus was such an impactful linebacker that, in 1985, The Butkus Award was created to recognize the top linebacker in football at all three levels of the game - high school, college, and professional.

    "Dick was the ultimate Bear, and one of the greatest players in NFL history," Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey said in a statement. "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. When we dedicated the George Halas statue at our team headquarters, we asked Dick to speak at the ceremony, because we knew he spoke for Papa Bear."

    "Dick had a gruff manner, and maybe that kept some people from approaching him, but he actually had a soft touch," the statement continued. "His legacy of philanthropy included a mission of ridding performance enhancing drugs from sports and promoting heart health. His contributions to the game he loved will live forever and we are grateful he was able to be at our home opener this year to be celebrated one last time by his many fans. We extend our condolences to Helen, Dick's high school sweetheart and wife of 60 years, and their family."