Illinois honors Dick Butkus with multiple tributes
One day after the death of legendary linebacker Dick Butkus, his alma mater honored him in multiple ways. Illinois is taking on Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, and the university planned multiple tributes to one of its all-time great players.
The night started with a moment of silence ahead of the national anthem as coaches wore Butkus shirts and players wore stickers on their helmets honoring the Pro and College Football Hall of Famer. The 50-yard line was also outlined in orange to signify the number Butkus wore in college.
There was also a video tribute at halftime, and photos and videos will be shown during the game, as well.
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 with the Bears. That legacy began in Champaign, and Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman summed it up in a statement.
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“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.”