Illinois announces plans to honor legendary linebacker Dick Butkus vs. Nebraska

Before he became an NFL icon and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Dick Butkus was a star linebacker at Illinois. He was a two-time All-American in Champaign and the Big Ten Most Valuable Player in 1964 before the Chicago Bears selected him No. 2 overall in the 1965 NFL Draft.

Friday — one day after Butkus’ death at age 80 — the Fighting Illini will play a game at Memorial Stadium against Nebraska. Prior to kickoff, the program announced multiple tributes to one of the all-time great Illini players.

The 50-yard line will be outlined in orange, which was Butkus’ number in college before he switched to his iconic No. 51 when he arrived in Chicago. The Illinois coaching staff will all have Butkus shirts and players will have stickers on their helmets. Fans will also see photos and videos on the videoboard during the game, as well as a video tribute to start halftime.

Additionally, prior to the national anthem, there will be a moment of silence at Memorial Stadium. The columns will also be lit up in blue.

Butkus is one of two Illinois legends to have a statue outside Memorial Stadium, joining Red Grange. During his time with the Fighting Illini, Butkus totaled 374 tackles and held the single-season tackles record until 1976. His No. 50 was retired in 1986.

The Chicago Bears announced Butkus’ death Thursday night. He transformed the linebacker position as part of his Hall of Fame career despite playing just nine years. That legacy began in Champaign, and Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman summed it up in a statement.

“The Greatest Living Illini has left us,” Whitman said. “Dick Butkus was a giant in a land of giants. In a game built on toughness and tenacity, he stood alone. One of the most imposing figures to ever wear a helmet, away from the field, Dick was self-effacing, humble, and generous. A cultural icon, Dick leaves a legacy on Americana that will never be forgotten.”

Fighting Illini coach Bret Bielema, an Illinois native, saw Butkus’ talents with the Bears and had his first personal interaction with him last year. Bielema, like many, put Butkus in a category of his own as the greatest to ever play the linebacker position.

“I am saddened to learn of the passing of Dick Butkus, the greatest linebacker in football history,” Bielema said. “As the head coach of his alma mater that he loved, I had the great honor to meet Dick, one of my childhood idols, last September. He was an amazing person, as well as football player, and a loyal Illini. 

“Dick embodied everything that Illinois football has represented in the past and what we look to represent into the future. His deep love for Illinois football will be honored and remembered forever.”