Dick Butkus was probably the meanest, nastiest, fiercest linebacker to ever wear an NFL football helmet.  The Butkus image of the middle linebacker wrapping up a running back and viciously slamming him to the field like a toy thrown in by a three year old having a temper tantrum still remains after his retirement over a quarter of a century later.  A photo taken of him with his lips curled in contempt during a 1968 game wearing his No. 51 NFL football jersey is also infamous.

Butkus terrorized NFL football offenses as the hub of the Chicago Bears’ defense after being a two-time All-American at the University of Illinois, playing center and linebacker. At Illinois NFL recruiter Dan Jenkins described Butkus in Sports Illustrated, "If every college football team had a linebacker like Dick Butkus, all fullbacks would be three feet tall and sing soprano. Dick Butkus is a special kind of brute whose particular talent is mashing runners into curious shapes…Butkus not only hits, he crushes and squeezes opponents with thick arms that are extremely long.

He was a NFL football player who lived for tough physical contact and was named all-NFL seven times and played in the NFL football Pro Bowl eight times. His career lasted nine years and was cut short by knee injuries. A 1970 panel of NFL coaches voted Butkus the player they would start with if they were building a brand new team.

His speed and quickness led him to make tackles from sideline to sideline and to cover tight ends and running backs on pass plays. He had instinct, strength, leadership and the all-important anger.

Butkus himself stated, “When I went on to the football field to warm up, I would manufacture things to make me mad.  If someone on the other team was laughing, I’d pretend he was laughing at me or the Bears.  I’d find something to get mad about. It always worked for me.”

Former Green Bay Packers running back MacArthur Lane said, “If I had a choice I’d sooner go one-on-one with a grizzly bear.  I prayed that I could get up everytime Butkus hit me.” His teammates and opponents were astounded by his ferocity.

Butkus led the Chicago Bears for eight straight years, averaging 120 tackles and 58 assists a NFL football season.  In 1967 he recorded 18 sacks which was a career high.

In 1970 Butkus suffered an injury to his right knee and underwent surgery for reconstruction of loose ligaments.  The surgery was only partially successful and he played in pain for the next two seasons.  Despite his knee pain he made 117 tackles and 68 assists, recovered three fumbles and intersected three passes.

Everything fell apart in 1973 when he had unbearable pain and took himself out of the game. A few weeks later he limped off the field for the last time. He charged the Chicago Bears with improper handling of his knee in a lawsuit which was settled outside of court. In 1997 he had an artificial knee replacement because of his continued suffering while standing, running and jumping.  This has eased his pain and today he plays golf  and does some acting. He is in both the college and NFL football hall of fames.