Trivia

Considered to be the meanest linebacker ever to play football.

Uniform number 51 retired by the Bears.

Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Was of Lithuanian descent.

Inducted into the ESPN Chicago Hall of Fame in 2011 (inaugural class) with Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Ernie Banks, and Mike Ditka.

Was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, with whom he spent nine years as a linebacker (1965-1973) and appeared in eight straight Pro Bowls (1965-1972).

Since 1985 the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Florida has presented the annual Dick Butkus Award to the top linebacker in college football.

Was frequently paired up with Bubba Smith in Miller Lite commercials. Also worked with Smith in the Blue Thunder (1984) TV series.

Father of Richard M. Butkus Jr..

Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

Has two sons and a daughter

Appeared in a commercial for "FedEx Express". (2009)

Inducted into the Lithuanian American Hall of Fame in 2013.

Mentioned in the Sublime song "Same in the End".

Center/linebacker for the University of Illinois football team, 1962-1964.

Survived by his three children: Matt, Nikki, and Richard Jr., and grandchildren.

His interment was at Saint Casimir Catholic Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.