ESPN’s Mike Greenberg on Friday gave a considerate tribute to Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus, whose dying was introduced hours earlier than the group took on the Washington Commanders on Thursday evening.
Butkus, 80, died peacefully in his sleep in a single day, his household introduced Thursday. The five-time All-Professional, identified for his intimidating presence on the sphere, was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1979.
On Friday’s episode of Greeny, Greenberg defined why Butkus is so revered as a sports activities icon.
“If you happen to requested me to call the best legend within the lengthy and storied and wonderful historical past {of professional} soccer — this nation’s best ardour — it was Dick Butkus,” Greenberg stated. “Dick Butkus was a person whose identify impressed real worry within the hearts and souls of the hardest individuals on the planet. Soccer gamers genuinely quaked in his presence. That’s the way in which he was portrayed and that’s the way in which he was.”
Butkus performed simply 9 seasons within the NFL — all with the Bears — however nonetheless leads the franchise in fumble recoveries with 25. He’s additionally second all-time in takeaways with 47.
Greenberg expressed remorse that he by no means met Butkus, however stated fellow Bears nice Mike Ditka completely illustrated how a lot of a menace he was in his enjoying days.
“I’ve by no means met a more durable particular person in my life than Mike Ditka,” Greenberg stated. “I’ve had any variety of conversations with Mike Ditka over time about Dick Butkus; and after I inform you Mike Ditka — who fears nothing — will inform you he was scared to dying of Butkus. They’d go up towards one another in apply. He stated, ‘I’m not going wherever close to that man.’ Dick Butkus at apply would chew your face off in case your facemask wasn’t on proper.”
In a tweet honoring Butkus, Former President Barack Obama merely stated, “Dick Butkus was soccer.” Greenberg shared that sentiment.
In Chicago, Dick Butkus was soccer. Pondering of his household at present, and all of the Bears followers who beloved watching top-of-the-line to ever play the sport. https://t.co/XR5ZA2CtLU
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 6, 2023
“Soccer’s a couple of bunch of issues,” Greenberg stated. “As of late, it’s lots about numbers and it’s lots in regards to the glitz and the glamour; however at its core, soccer is a gladiator sport. Soccer is about how robust you might be and the way robust the man opposing you is, and who’s gonna be the hardest on at the present time, on this evening. Who’s gonna stroll off this area and who’s gonna must be carried off it.
“And nobody ever epitomized that like Dick Butkus.”
Watch above by way of ESPN.
