  1 Bears legend Dick Butkus passes away at 80

Dick Butkus, one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history and a Chicago Bears legend, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday at the age of 80.

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[{"selector":"#anim-55766c4b-40c1-4f8c-8629-d9f02290320d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c7052e1-9be0-4b97-9347-a73a178d6c15","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db2f94af-ec52-4807-8068-5fda1b7adf01","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.82649%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d6685de-1337-4cc4-9b16-50e5e1f2736c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-027bfab5-c86b-4756-b400-5f0abe4f7916","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 186.74140%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] He quickly became one of the most feared defenders in the league, known for his ferocious tackling and relentless pursuit of the ball carrier.

[{"selector":"#anim-886a1cc1-8b3f-453e-8817-5438674c42fc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c21f817e-4aff-46d0-a3c6-b32ba98e20f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cfd91f99-7045-42cc-bcb6-e17ff66b4b74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4fbc571-d969-4009-bcfa-d954a6de9be0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4906d7b8-1be4-4aed-be4e-bba1f4028e59","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 155.82173%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Butkus played nine seasons for the Bears, and he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and first-team All-Pro five times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f9375b5-06dc-4d0f-8425-58ba64fa414c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.6583748197379506%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3d042ff-a342-4271-a978-a46172205836","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99f10f2f-f852-4485-8220-f6410de59b0e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b4311b2-4b77-4179-9e19-de44e7c4c1ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b0ced21-7a39-4b62-98f7-355ae1417dea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.58898%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Butkus's impact on the game of football was immense. He helped to redefine the position of linebacker, and his hard-nosed style of play inspired generations of players.

[{"selector":"#anim-b48c7e08-2e03-40ab-8c1f-9b5cfec813e2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.09259261113359%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ca94580-247e-45b3-9acd-c567b976550f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc14c8a2-86b5-4375-8f72-7416855fc93d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0be980e1-0677-4053-b460-b469074f0451","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e9957b2-5988-4a39-a410-88563074e10b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 173.29601%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] He was also a beloved figure in Chicago, and his death was met with an outpouring of grief from fans and former teammates

[{"selector":"#anim-e056ddea-d67f-41fe-a234-d66dba94a220","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-786d6178-535c-40cf-b37b-69a5a84d7872","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53b78899-ddb6-439f-ad98-ac0f66bae1f0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7eb984f2-6cb3-4d86-a9da-c94772a8753b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 173.29601%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] " Dick was the ultimate Bear, and one of the greatest players in NFL history, " Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said in a statement.

[{"selector":"#anim-920ffc32-34f8-4f27-9fdc-276f3a487f48","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a77576fe-8949-456f-b518-6162cc96f8f7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.14195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c92d9e70-78fa-4bf9-9ceb-e0e76d58b6d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52846f68-962c-4b62-b4e0-9036847c7aff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.28827%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] "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."