Dick Butkus Has Died

[The Shadow]

He, along with Jim Brown, were the two greatest players I have ever seen.

[Joemailman]

Yep. Chicago and the University Of Illinois produced Ray Nitschke and Dick Butkus in a span of 7 years. 2 toughest players I ever saw, but Butkus' speed probably gave him the edge. He'll always be remembered for his ferocious hitting, but he also had 22 career interceptions.

[Fritz]

He, along with Jim Brown, were the two greatest players I have ever seen.

THE Monster of the Midway. I believe my Opa used to serve him in the 70’s at a bar/restaurant called The Golden Ox.

[texaspackerbacker]

Hated but RESPECTED by Packer fans.

[MadtownPacker]

RIP. Never saw him play outside of NFL Films but obvious he was larger than life. Saw a violent dude on the field but seemed like a good guy overall. Players today owe gratitude to legends like Butkus for helping make the league the giant money machine it is today. You old timers got to see some hard hits back in the day.

That’s a cool stat on the INTs. Considering they threw a lot less he must have caught everything that hit his hands.

[Patler]

Nitschke had more interceptions than Butkus. So did Joe Schmidt, Sam Huff and Nick Buoniconti. All middle linebackers with careers overlapping Butkus. All played more games than Butkus, but their stats show that Butkus was not unusual as a pass defender. Nitschke in his prime was as violent tackling, Butkus was more violent getting to the tackle. He didn't take on blockers, he often blocked the blockers, hitting them as hard as he did ball carriers. He smashed his way through blockers, getting to the tackle.

Many outside linebackers in those days, like Dave Robinson, had more interceptions too.

Yes, there were a lot fewer passes thrown in those days, but the good linebackers, like those above, didn't come off the field for extra DBs in passing situations, and pass rushing and block rules were so different that QBs were often hit as they threw, with dying quail passes ending up in the arms of linebackers. Coverage rules allowed contact until the ball was released, allowing linebackers to stay with RBs and TEs.

Very different game in those days.

[RashanGary]

Damn Patler, nice to see you, old timer!!

I was a little worried not hearing from you for a while. Glad you’re doing well and still sharp as a tack.

[Fritz]

Nitschke had more interceptions than Butkus. So did Joe Schmidt, Sam Huff and Nick Buoniconti. All middle linebackers with careers overlapping Butkus. All played more games than Butkus, but their stats show that Butkus was not unusual as a pass defender. Nitschke in his prime was as violent tackling, Butkus was more violent getting to the tackle. He didn't take on blockers, he often blocked the blockers, hitting them as hard as he did ball carriers. He smashed his way through blockers, getting to the tackle.

Many outside linebackers in those days, like Dave Robinson, had more interceptions too.

Yes, there were a lot fewer passes thrown in those days, but the good linebackers, like those above, didn't come off the field for extra DBs in passing situations, and pass rushing and block rules were so different that QBs were often hit as they threw, with dying quail passes ending up in the arms of linebackers. Coverage rules allowed contact until the ball was released, allowing linebackers to stay with RBs and TEs.

Very different game in those days.

Oh my good god Patler I am SO glad to see you back! Some of the newer rats need to get edumacated.

And what a good post to do so. As always, you actually back your opinions with evidence, and you often educate us, or many of us, in the process.

Damn. I can't believe how happy I am that you're back. Don't be a stranger. I'd be mightily interested to hear your thoughts on Gutekunst, LeFleur, this year's Packer team, and of course Love. Not hate, though. I'm getting tired of hate.

[Bretsky]

Nitschke had more interceptions than Butkus. So did Joe Schmidt, Sam Huff and Nick Buoniconti. All middle linebackers with careers overlapping Butkus. All played more games than Butkus, but their stats show that Butkus was not unusual as a pass defender. Nitschke in his prime was as violent tackling, Butkus was more violent getting to the tackle. He didn't take on blockers, he often blocked the blockers, hitting them as hard as he did ball carriers. He smashed his way through blockers, getting to the tackle.

Many outside linebackers in those days, like Dave Robinson, had more interceptions too.

Yes, there were a lot fewer passes thrown in those days, but the good linebackers, like those above, didn't come off the field for extra DBs in passing situations, and pass rushing and block rules were so different that QBs were often hit as they threw, with dying quail passes ending up in the arms of linebackers. Coverage rules allowed contact until the ball was released, allowing linebackers to stay with RBs and TEs.

Very different game in those days.


DANG, WHERE YOU BEEN ?

I feel like I should make some stat up so I can get Patlerized :) It's been too long.

Welcome back !

[Fritz]

Bretsky, how can we get Patler to keep posting?? I think we'd all benefit by his take on this year's team, and Guter, and MLF, instead of the shit posters like you and me throw out there.

[MadtownPacker]

Nitschke had more interceptions than Butkus. So did Joe Schmidt, Sam Huff and Nick Buoniconti. All middle linebackers with careers overlapping Butkus. All played more games than Butkus, but their stats show that Butkus was not unusual as a pass defender. Nitschke in his prime was as violent tackling, Butkus was more violent getting to the tackle. He didn't take on blockers, he often blocked the blockers, hitting them as hard as he did ball carriers. He smashed his way through blockers, getting to the tackle.

Many outside linebackers in those days, like Dave Robinson, had more interceptions too.

Yes, there were a lot fewer passes thrown in those days, but the good linebackers, like those above, didn't come off the field for extra DBs in passing situations, and pass rushing and block rules were so different that QBs were often hit as they threw, with dying quail passes ending up in the arms of linebackers. Coverage rules allowed contact until the ball was released, allowing linebackers to stay with RBs and TEs.

Very different game in those days.
Damn Patlerized me hard on your valiant return!! I would have thought the LBs would skills-wise be more like DEs today. Very surprising they all caught so well. They probably would do well in todays game still.

[Patler]

I would have thought the LBs would skills-wise be more like DEs today. Very surprising they all caught so well. They probably would do well in todays game still.

Nitschke also played fullback in college, Butkus played center.

[Fritz]

Nitschke also played fullback in college, Butkus played center.

It's weird what a good run da Bears had at middle linebacker. I never saw Bill George play, but I've seen a bit of highlight film. Wow.

Also weird to think someone as absolutely legendary as Butkus only played eight years. In today's terms, that's only two contracts. If only the medical care was as good as it is now . . . you wonder how long he might've played.

[Patler]

Also weird to think someone as absolutely legendary as Butkus only played eight years. In today's terms, that's only two contracts. If only the medical care was as good as it is now . . . you wonder how long he might've played.

Yup, and Gayle Sayers only really played five years, although he hung around two more but only played in four games the last two years. His career consisted of just 68 games.

[Fritz]

Yup, and Gayle Sayers only really played five years, although he hung around two more but only played in four games the last two years. His career consisted of just 68 games.

I saw him on TV as a kid, a couple times. In my estimation, he was better than Walter Payton.

[The Shadow]

I saw him on TV as a kid, a couple times. In my estimation, he was better than Walter Payton.

I agree.

[Patler]

Sayers could score any time he touched the ball. He was shifty as heck running and receiving, with decent power too. He always seemed to be on the verge of breaking away. He didn't always return punts or kickoffs, but when they needed a score, there he would be, back receiving a punt and getting a long return. If they were falling behind after an opponents score, there he would be as a kickoff returner. I was always relieved when he wasn't back for kicks. In a few short years he had a bunch of return TDs.

As Packer fan, I "feared" Sayers more than I did Payton.

[Fritz]

Sayers could score any time he touched the ball. He was shifty as heck running and receiving, with decent power too. He always seemed to be on the verge of breaking away. He didn't always return punts or kickoffs, but when they needed a score, there he would be, back receiving a punt and getting a long return. If they were falling behind after an opponents score, there he would be as a kickoff returner. I was always relieved when he wasn't back for kicks. In a few short years he had a bunch of return TDs.

As Packer fan, I "feared" Sayers more than I did Payton.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccUtcb29RZg

There you go.

He was bigger and lankier than I remember.

[RashanGary]

He reminds me of Aaron Jones in that he can going north south at 100 and still make lateral moves to avoid contact without slowing his downhill momentum at all.

He had better top end speed for his era
And he had better contact balance

So better. But that 100% downhill speed while still avoiding contact is very Aaron Jones like.

[KYPack]

There were a lot of things that ran thru my mind when I heard Dick passed away. He is in the very highest tier of all NFL players. I went back and watched some tape and observed some of his skills that had slipped my mind. He was so great at his tackling mechanics. At 6,3" 245 he would hammer runners chest to chest. At the same time, he would wrap up the rb's arms and crash them into the ground. His goal was to make the back loosen his grip on the ball to break his fall. By the 3rd quarter or so, that's what would happen. Dick was also a demon at tearing the ball out for a strip during the tackle. Most of the time he would double up the play by recovering the football.

I loved to watch him play, but not vs the Pack. Sayers and Butkus were Packer killers during their time in Chicago.

Dick made one play that I'll never forget. He blitzed and sacked the QB. The passer made a flip pass just before he hit the turf. His desperation toss was competed 5 yards downfield to a TE. Like a blur, Dick got off the ground and made the tackle! A near sack + a tackle of the receiver? Not a real common play.

Rest in peace Dick.

Hope they have beer up there or wherever you are.

[Joemailman]

I was 11 years old in 1969 when the Bears went 1-13. I remember wondering how a team with Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers could be that bad.

[MadtownPacker]

He reminds me of Aaron Jones in that he can going north south at 100 and still make lateral moves to avoid contact without slowing his downhill momentum at all.

He had better top end speed for his era
And he had better contact balance

So better. But that 100% downhill speed while still avoiding contact is very Aaron Jones like.

Even though you say a lot of stupid shit this post is got to be dumb as fuck stupid. Aaron Jones like? Crazy gypsy, Sayers is the one you should be comparing Jones to! I only saw NFL films of him but obvious he was a man among boys. Something equal to 1998 Moss for our age group where he was a threat to score on any play. Sounds like Sayers merited the same fear for Patler’s generation.

[bobblehead]

Even though you say a lot of stupid shit this post is got to be dumb as fuck stupid. Aaron Jones like? Crazy gypsy, Sayers is the one you should be comparing Jones to! I only saw NFL films of him but obvious he was a man among boys. Something equal to 1998 Moss for our age group where he was a threat to score on any play. Sounds like Sayers merited the same fear for Patler’s generation.

He can't make the comparison that way. He watched Jones play his entire career and has only seen clips of Sayers.

I actually think its a pretty good post as he pulled out an apt comparison and backed it up with a why. I can't compare Jim Brown to anyone as I didn't get to see him play. I also didn't get to see sayers. I heard a lot of "barry sanders is like sayers" back when, but its hard to comp out guys that we never saw. I'll give RG some credit here for a solid comp and he clearly says Sayers was better.

[texaspackerbacker]

I don't think RG was talking quality so much as style. Yes, Sayers was scary good, and I go back far enough to remember that. I put him way above Payton and Emmett Smith and a bunch of other great RBs, probably better than anybody except Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson, better by a small margin than Barry Sanders.

The comparison to Aaron Jones, though, is distinguishing him and Sayers from bruisers like Brown and shifty or whatever you would call Sanders - who danced around and got away better than anybody in history. The best way to say it is Aaron Jones is a lesser version of Sayers.

bobblehead, I'll give you credit - as I do occasionally but not often for getting it pretty much right too. And as for Jim Brown, I DID see him, and he doesn't compare to anybody, he compares to everybody. He had speed right up there with Sayers and O.J., and he had the power of Earl Campbell or for the current generation, Derrick Henry. Shiftiness? Maybe not, but he just plain didn't need it.

[RashanGary]

Thanks tex, thats kinda what i was saying. Style. Barry Sanders juked and jived. Other guys were power, others a mix, others vision, or pass catching.

Not a lot of guys go downhill like Sayers and Jones but somehow still get out of the way while going forward at 100 miles an hour. They usually have to put a foot in the ground and slow down, but sayers and Jones weave while going full speed.

That was the comp.

[RashanGary]

Sayers was faster for his era and seemed like guys bounced off him a little more. But that downhill, weaving style that you rarely see is similar.

[MadtownPacker]

Well damn you got two dude willing to blow you. Great job.

[Vincenzo]

Even though you say a lot of stupid shit this post is got to be dumb as fuck stupid.
Sorry JH, but I couldn’t agree more with this, some of the stuff you come up with makes my eye twitch.

[MadtownPacker]

I think RG infected me with his rage virus like the movie 28 Days Later.

[bobblehead]

Well damn you got two dude willing to blow you. Great job.

It was more of a handjob really.