One of the all time greats for sure, and one of the most feared, ferocious and hard hitting MLBs who ever played the game. On the same level with Ray Nitschke with the Packers, Mike Singletary who later followed him with the Bears and Jack Lambert with the Steelers. And yeah, there were others, but Butkus set the tone during his time.
B Wags Has commented on Butkus... Total Respect!!! What a Warrior he was indeed!!! Butkus Was the reason I wanted to play Middle Linebacker!!! Thank you Dick
Played football at the same HS at Chicago Vocational! He was a great guy, and met him years later in Vegas, and we talked about our great teams. he was always an inspiration for us!
Unfortunately, Butkus retired when I was 3 years old, so I never had the privilege of seeing him play on TV. But I've seen the highlights and he's had a high profile presence even after football. I'm a big fan of the old school linebackers. Sad to see one of the greats no longer with us.
The vintage tape quality, the blue jerseys with the white contrast that was constantly dirty is so iconic. The tape on fingers and hands. You couldn’t scrip it to be anymore nostalgic and I wasn’t even alive then
One of my fondest memories as a kid growing up in the 1960's-70's was whenever my mom would go shopping just as soon as the car left the driveway, my dad would take the mattress off my parents' bed, lay it on the floor next to the bed and then call my brother and I into the room. My dad would toss us a football and we would take turns trying to score a touchdown against Butkus with my dad playing the part of "Butkus". The bed was the endzone and we had to get through "Butkus" to score. My dad played this game to win and would tackle, toss, upend us pretty rough in his best effort to keep us from scoring. That was what the mattress was for, to catch us after he threw us backward as we tried to jump over the line of scrimmage into the endzone. Talk about fun especially for a 7 year old! Thanks Dad for making my childhood so memorable and thank you Mr. Butkus for the way you played the game and for being an inspiration to so many. My condolences go out to the Butkus family, friends and loved ones. Mr. Butkus, you will not be forgotten.
Butkus stepped into very large shoes and filled them, and then some. Butkus helped revolutionize the MLB position. Rest in peace you legend, bear down.
I, too, am glad I got to watch the Purest Form of NFL Football in the Mid to Late 60s and then the 70s. It was a Fantastic Era, never to be seen again. Violent, You bet but Legal. That's the Way they played the game. Butkus was the Hardest Hitter of them All.
Former Cowboys halfback Calvin Hill was asked in a profile from Sports Illustrated if he was ever afraid playing football and he said no. Then he paused and said (paraphrasing here) “well there was one time we were playing the Bears and Butkus was angry at a ball spot so he picked up the ball and moved it back. The refs left it there. I figured if the refs were intimidated so should I.”
Love that guy.. I played like him. Played with a Chip. Walked on.. And became the MVP of a semi pro team in Europe. We all got CTE... RANG ON OUR BELL ALOT
Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death through brain tissue analysis. Doctors with a specialty in brain diseases slice brain tissue and use special chemicals to make the abnormal tau protein visible. They then systematically search areas of the brain for tau in the unique pattern specific to CTE.
@@treyray2 not anymore Trey. And it doesn't even matter of the diagnosis. If the signs are there, We Treat it. Being aware is the biggest issue here. And there are so many more studies now. Up to 40% players in High School possibly have it. But having CTE doesn't mean EVERYONE experiences the severe symptoms.
@@treyray2 it's crazy that we throw that out here. My gf is a professor. She has white matter on her brain. From the same head injuries from years of 🐎.. Equestrian. Do you even know a number in your head to even understand the money that's generated football? This world is draped in camouflage my friend. They have always known about Tao and this CTE.. Kind of grabs you by the boo boo how when just get duped in life. We become experts of things when the source makes sense. Repeat non sense as if we even know. So, here's the new stats from a month ago. A player in H.S. sustains approximately 900 hits in a regular season.. Now, if we started when we were 10 and all the way thru college how many hits? It's not about the severity of a concussion, it's repetitive blows how we get it. But another way to look at it is.. Some players never walk off the field from Pop Warner to Senior Year. How many blows is that. Plus 4 years of college ball. It's way more common that we even now. Without doubt kids should never ever ever ever ever play pop warner . There is nothing good that comes from pads. Flags will have our boys more agile.
@VicVega-ep3gd You just described a friend of mine. Pop Warner all American, high school all state, started since sophomore year college All American, 9 years NFL and 2 years USFL.
When middle linebackers were allowed to play like middle linebackers # 51 didn't leave plays on the field. Great to have him represent the Chicago Bears after all the years. Born in Chicago played his High School football in Chicago / went to Illinois University to play football.
I'm old enough to have seen Butkus play my H.S., Lane Tech, play for the Chicago Public League championship. My school won but he almost single-handedly reversed the winner. He was very good starting in high school. JMS
You can only Imagine if they had the Knee Surgery back then like Today This Man might of had a few more playing years. I loved watching him play in the 60's and early 70'S. That was Football 🏈
He was a great inspiration while he was playing for the Bears and was a great influence on me and others who were playing football at the HS level at the time. Saw him driving thru downtown LA late '80's in his brown 911 Porsche with 'BUTKUS' vanity license plate.
If they played today like Butkus did , they would name the penalty flag after him because the refs would be throwing it constantly. I used to watch him play, man was he a linebacker.
God has granted him a peaceful passing, no cancer, no disease, no suffering. Resting eternally and now greeted by John Madden at the gates to heaven. Legendary.
Chris Berman came up with some of the best nicknames in NFL history. Eric Sleeping with Bienemy, Jake Daylight Come and You Got a Delhomme, Mike You're in Good Hands with Alstott, Marshall, Marshall, Marshall
The Bears selected Sayers AND Butkus in the same draft and still Butkus never won a playoff team. That I what you need to know about how bad this organization is when it comes to offensive football.
@@horton12545 Definitely the problem.The Bears had terrible QBs during the 60s and 70s. Ditka only played 2 seasons with Butkus and Sayers. Traded in '67 to Eagles for Jack Concannon. And Concannon sucked, too.
The notion that Marvin Gaye wanted to try out for the Lions. Thank goodness, for his sake, he was never allowed to try out. The notion of Marvin Gaye against the Bears, going across the middle.....! Peace on, Butkus!
Like Boom said, back then there was Butkus, Ray Nitschke of the Packers, Lambert from the Steelers. Three of the biggest names. Each of them were a force to be reckoned with. But man, the defenses back then we're just unbelievable. The Monsters of the Midway, The Steel Curtain, The Purple People Eaters, Orange Crush. Defenses that were made to put you down. I loved watching the games back in the 60's and 70's. And they were right. If these guys would be playing today, they'd be broke for paying fines, suspended, penalized like crazy. And Chicago had big names playing middle linebacker. Butkus, Urlacher, Singletary. Myself though, I think Urlacher was good, but he was a few steps behind Singletary, who was a step or two behind Butkus. Great watching all those teams back then.
When I was a kid he was the name when someone talked about Linebacker , until he got he knee hurt he could run and he was mean , even when he came back from his knee injury and could not run , he was still mean
Good observation...when he was playing, I would turn them on to watch even if they were playing the Cowboys or Dolphins or Green Bay or just someone who was going to beat the Bears and it wasn't really going to be a good game, but, you could be assured that 10 or so plays, they were going to mess up and try to run over 51 and it was NOT going to work out well for the offense.
John Facenda (NFL Films) :” You whirling dervish of the battlefield,breathing fire ,you dragon of destruction.Rage,rage against the dying of the light.”
Rest in Peace to a true legend of the game.
Berman’s not dead. He just sounds like it.
A true Warrior on the field...getting up for a game wasn't ever an issue for Mr. Butkus. Godspeed to his family and the Bears organization.
1942-2023. Built for chicago, beloved by Chicagoans
One of the all time greats for sure, and one of the most feared, ferocious and hard hitting MLBs who ever played the game. On the same level with Ray Nitschke with the Packers, Mike Singletary who later followed him with the Bears and Jack Lambert with the Steelers. And yeah, there were others, but Butkus set the tone during his time.
There IS no debate...Greatest Middle Linebacker to date! Matt NYC
Best LB to EVER play the game!
51 LEGEND... Thanks Chris for the condolences to Chicago we appreciate it
B Wags Has commented on Butkus... Total Respect!!! What a Warrior he was indeed!!! Butkus Was the reason I wanted to play Middle Linebacker!!! Thank you Dick
Played football at the same HS at Chicago Vocational! He was a great guy, and met him years later in Vegas, and we talked about our great teams. he was always an inspiration for us!
Those Knuckles told a story. Rest In Power
He was a true legend ❤
Simply the greatest LB ever.
Behind L.T.!!!
You mean behind LT and his coke spoon.
LaDainian Tomlinson was not a LB
@@carlweaver3243 he was also not “LT”!!! Go back to bed kid.
Ok Baby Huey02377
Great man husband and dad and Great football middle linebacker God speed see you in heaven really Great man
Old enough to seen him play. Some players you don't forget.
Rest in peace. One of the greatest middle linebackers ever!
THE GREATEST !
Never played on a winning team - sad - but he never let that affect his game. And yet, he was on 8 Pro-Bowl Teams. A testament to his talent.
Exactly.
He had a couple of "winning seasons" but yeah never close to championship team. And he wouldn't go to a contender for a chance at a ring
THE BEARS WON THE 1963 NFL Champinship
Where did you get that from?
@@zcam1969Butkus was a rookie in 1965
Rest in Peace Mr Butkus a true legend 🙏🙏🙏
THE GREATEST!!!
Legend
Nuff said
1 of the ALL-TIME greats!!..DB played.when football was football!!!...rest easy #51...🙏
Unfortunately, Butkus retired when I was 3 years old, so I never had the privilege of seeing him play on TV. But I've seen the highlights and he's had a high profile presence even after football. I'm a big fan of the old school linebackers. Sad to see one of the greats no longer with us.
Well said, from another person born in 1970.
He was blood guts and mud.
The vintage tape quality, the blue jerseys with the white contrast that was constantly dirty is so iconic. The tape on fingers and hands. You couldn’t scrip it to be anymore nostalgic and I wasn’t even alive then
One of the first defensive superstars...
Butkus show us how football was really played back in the day.
One of my fondest memories as a kid growing up in the 1960's-70's was whenever my mom would go shopping just as soon as the car left the driveway, my dad would take the mattress off my parents' bed, lay it on the floor next to the bed and then call my brother and I into the room. My dad would toss us a football and we would take turns trying to score a touchdown against Butkus with my dad playing the part of "Butkus". The bed was the endzone and we had to get through "Butkus" to score. My dad played this game to win and would tackle, toss, upend us pretty rough in his best effort to keep us from scoring. That was what the mattress was for, to catch us after he threw us backward as we tried to jump over the line of scrimmage into the endzone. Talk about fun especially for a 7 year old! Thanks Dad for making my childhood so memorable and thank you Mr. Butkus for the way you played the game and for being an inspiration to so many. My condolences go out to the Butkus family, friends and loved ones. Mr. Butkus, you will not be forgotten.
Many years ago, I met Bill Brown from the Vikings.... he told me that the best thing about college was that Butkus was on. HIS team
Butkus stepped into very large shoes and filled them, and then some. Butkus helped revolutionize the MLB position. Rest in peace you legend, bear down.
An NFL legend. It was a privilege to see such a great play when I was a kid during the Golden Age of the NFL
The sixties were the hardest vicious hitting era of football, wyt?
I, too, am glad I got to watch the Purest Form of NFL Football in the Mid to Late 60s and then the 70s. It was a Fantastic Era, never to be seen again. Violent, You bet but Legal. That's the Way they played the game. Butkus was the Hardest Hitter of them All.
The game has changed so much, now every single tackle he made would be flagged because he was such a beast
Chris Berman said it perfectly. "He was one of us".
Butkus and Berman. Two all time greats.
Chris Bermans right; I’m surprised they’re even playing the game tonight.
We got the DUB for BUTKUS #51 FOREVER 🐻
Best linebacker ever. PERIOD.
Yes. LT is 2nd greatest
Lambert? Wilbur Marshall?
Former Cowboys halfback Calvin Hill was asked in a profile from Sports Illustrated if he was ever afraid playing football and he said no. Then he paused and said (paraphrasing here) “well there was one time we were playing the Bears and Butkus was angry at a ball spot so he picked up the ball and moved it back. The refs left it there. I figured if the refs were intimidated so should I.”
Lol yes
A very bad bad man. A true legend!
Playing the game the way it was scary when he was playing what a great linebacker the toughest player in history of nf
Never seen him play but his name always pops up when it comes to defensive players.
Godspeed
I saw him play. Butkus was a beast. The most feared middle linebacker ever! Think of Ray Lewis, but meaner.
he is the foundation of the bears of old
My guess considered possibly third best defender ever after LT and Deon Sanders
Butkus was like a roaming T-Rex 😳
Love that guy.. I played like him. Played with a Chip. Walked on.. And became the MVP of a semi pro team in Europe.
We all got CTE... RANG ON OUR BELL ALOT
Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death through brain tissue analysis. Doctors with a specialty in brain diseases slice brain tissue and use special chemicals to make the abnormal tau protein visible. They then systematically search areas of the brain for tau in the unique pattern specific to CTE.
@@treyray2 not anymore Trey. And it doesn't even matter of the diagnosis. If the signs are there, We Treat it. Being aware is the biggest issue here. And there are so many more studies now. Up to 40% players in High School possibly have it. But having CTE doesn't mean EVERYONE experiences the severe symptoms.
@@treyray2 it's crazy that we throw that out here. My gf is a professor. She has white matter on her brain. From the same head injuries from years of 🐎.. Equestrian.
Do you even know a number in your head to even understand the money that's generated football? This world is draped in camouflage my friend. They have always known about Tao and this CTE.. Kind of grabs you by the boo boo how when just get duped in life. We become experts of things when the source makes sense. Repeat non sense as if we even know.
So, here's the new stats from a month ago.
A player in H.S. sustains approximately 900 hits in a regular season.. Now, if we started when we were 10 and all the way thru college how many hits? It's not about the severity of a concussion, it's repetitive blows how we get it. But another way to look at it is.. Some players never walk off the field from Pop Warner to Senior Year. How many blows is that. Plus 4 years of college ball. It's way more common that we even now. Without doubt kids should never ever ever ever ever play pop warner . There is nothing good that comes from pads. Flags will have our boys more agile.
@@VicVega-ep3gd Sorry to hear you're going through that.
@VicVega-ep3gd You just described a friend of mine. Pop Warner all American, high school all state, started since sophomore year college All American, 9 years NFL and 2 years USFL.
Will be forever missed, never forgotten.
He along with all the greats made huge impact on people
Bears nation has lost a great one thoughts and prayers to his family he was the ultimate middle linebacker
Lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, but I’ll always tip my hat to whom I believe was the greatest MLB to have ever played the game.
You darn right.....Tom Brady wouldn't play no 20+ seasons in this era.
Cry me a river.
Brady wouldn't even last a season pre 2000
@@aliensyndrome4280 💍 💍 💍 💍 💍 💍. That's not all of them, I'm just running out of room. ROF 😆.
@@aliensyndrome4280 💍 💍 💍 💍 💍 💍. That's not all of them, I'm running out of room. ROF 😆.
Set the standard for the future LBS
More notorious than Butkus? No one.
Ligth and progress on its spiritual path 🙏
When middle linebackers were allowed to play like middle linebackers # 51 didn't leave plays on the field. Great to have him represent the Chicago Bears after all the years. Born in Chicago played his High School football in Chicago / went to Illinois University to play football.
I'm old enough to have seen Butkus play my H.S., Lane Tech, play for the Chicago Public League championship. My school won but he almost single-handedly reversed the winner. He was very good starting in high school. JMS
I could be wrong here, but wasn't he also a RB in High School?
The Absolute Greatest to EVER play Linebacker, My Football Hero throughout My whole life, I truly believe God has a #51 Jersey, I will miss you HERO
You can only Imagine if they had the Knee Surgery back then like Today This Man might of had a few more playing years. I loved watching him play in the 60's and early 70'S. That was Football 🏈
What a sob on the field , loved the guy ! Arguably greatest d player ever with LT
Legend. Icon.
Imagine if he played on the 85 bears team they might go undefeated
They had Mike Singletary
They did just fine with Samurai Mike.
He was a great inspiration while he was playing for the Bears and was a great influence on me and others who were playing football at the HS level at the time. Saw him driving thru downtown LA late '80's in his brown 911 Porsche with 'BUTKUS' vanity license plate.
If they played today like Butkus did , they would name the penalty flag after him because the refs would be throwing it constantly. I used to watch him play, man was he a linebacker.
Just stunned after the Chicago Bears stunned Washington Commanders was 40-20 was a very sad loss.
A true athlete and an angry linebacker love the guy
God has granted him a peaceful passing, no cancer, no disease, no suffering. Resting eternally and now greeted by John Madden at the gates to heaven. Legendary.
4 MLBs in that group. Astounding. Rest in peace Mr. Butkus.
A legendary, larger than life football olayer. Reat in peace hitman of the Midway
Chris Berman came up with some of the best nicknames in NFL history. Eric Sleeping with Bienemy, Jake Daylight Come and You Got a Delhomme, Mike You're in Good Hands with Alstott, Marshall, Marshall, Marshall
Bert be home Blyleven
Ben " Winter" Coates
At first I look at the hearst..Garrett Hearst. Chad coda..momma don't take my coated chrome away
Ty "I fought the law and the law won" Law or Lawyers in love Malloy always stuck with me idk why😂
Ugh.
All my heroes are gone
The Bears selected Sayers AND Butkus in the same draft and still Butkus never won a playoff team. That I what you need to know about how bad this organization is when it comes to offensive football.
They also had Ditka at TE (not the same draft). Can't remember the QB, and I guess that was the problem.
@@horton12545
Definitely the problem.The Bears had terrible QBs during the 60s and 70s. Ditka only played 2 seasons with Butkus and Sayers. Traded in '67 to Eagles for Jack Concannon. And Concannon sucked, too.
Just think how he felt after the game , all the losing Seasons Yet ev Sunday he was always a menace and a mangler 💪🏈 He loved Football #51✨
"Every time he hit you, he wanted to put you in the cemetery NOT the hospital" ~ Deacon Jones
The Best!
All of the sports stars of the 60 s and 70s are passing away very sad
It happens when people grow old.
The inside of Helmets had less protection & hits hurt more back then.
The notion that Marvin Gaye wanted to try out for the Lions. Thank goodness, for his sake, he was never allowed to try out. The notion of Marvin Gaye against the Bears, going across the middle.....! Peace on, Butkus!
Like Boom said, back then there was Butkus, Ray Nitschke of the Packers, Lambert from the Steelers. Three of the biggest names. Each of them were a force to be reckoned with. But man, the defenses back then we're just unbelievable. The Monsters of the Midway, The Steel Curtain, The Purple People Eaters, Orange Crush. Defenses that were made to put you down. I loved watching the games back in the 60's and 70's. And they were right. If these guys would be playing today, they'd be broke for paying fines, suspended, penalized like crazy. And Chicago had big names playing middle linebacker. Butkus, Urlacher, Singletary. Myself though, I think Urlacher was good, but he was a few steps behind Singletary, who was a step or two behind Butkus. Great watching all those teams back then.
You could add the Fearsome Foursome, as well.
The definition of middle linebacker. If you look in a dictionary the definition of middle linebacker had his picture there.
Legendary Bear! 🍻 Cheers up
You will be missed, Big fella. 🕊🙏🏽
7:17.....It wasnt the 50s, bruh. Do a little more research, family.
REST IN PARADISE MR. BUTKIS🙏💐😢
Chris Berman’s friends and idols are passing away. So sad
Rest in peace sir
Mike Lucci and Tommy Nobis belong in the Hall of Fame. They also played linebacker.
The greatest
He represents the working man in Chicago 🙏💯☹️
Butkus said he never tried to hurt someone.....unless it was something important like a Divisional Game. Lol.
When I was a kid he was the name when someone talked about Linebacker , until he got he knee hurt he could run and he was mean , even when he came back from his knee injury and could not run , he was still mean
The man has no peer. Matt NYC
I never saw a linebacker with better football instinct.
lets win the championship for butkus
bears
Butkus was the Joe Namath of defense. You watched the game just to see what Butkus was going to do.
That is the most hilarious name I've ever heard lmao. Rest in Peace.
With a name like that, you KNOW he had to grow up to be one tough mother fucker.
Modern Family had fun with it.
Good observation...when he was playing, I would turn them on to watch even if they were playing the Cowboys or Dolphins or Green Bay or just someone who was going to beat the Bears and it wasn't really going to be a good game, but, you could be assured that 10 or so plays, they were going to mess up and try to run over 51 and it was NOT going to work out well for the offense.
THE FOUNDATION OF THE BEARS!!
They were called " The Monsters of The Midway " # 51 is the reason for that ....
Last of a dying breed
@stevennorthenscold6313 This 'BREED' is far from deceased. U Just don`t see it on the football field.
At 1:10 he is holding back a lot of laughter😂😂😂
John Facenda (NFL Films) :” You whirling dervish of the battlefield,breathing fire ,you dragon of destruction.Rage,rage against the dying of the light.”
You had to earn points with defenses in those days. It wasn't a free gift like it today.
A shame that the ESPN studio guy clearly know nothing about Butkus other than what he's reading.
MLB position? I’m confused? The mlb was not mentioned?
And it stands for middle linebacker.
🙏❤️🏈 #51
C’mon. You WERE trying to make a pun about The Chicago Bears.
🙏🙏
Cold tonight
He was great in sleepy Hollow as brom bones
Why did the thumbnail say MLB
Middle Linebacker. But I understand how it can be confusing.