When we think of the greatest players in the Chicago Bears' history, it doesn't take long to get to Dick Butkus. He played nine seasons (1965-1973), all in a Bears uniform, of course, due to an accumulation of injuries that would lead him to retire at age 31. But that was all the time he needed to become the dictionary definition of everything a middle linebacker should be.
Of course, it was also a far different time in the NFL when Butkus played. Many of the hits he levied on opposing players would leave him far lighter in the wallet today, but that's also part of the nostalgic appeal attached to him.
Who among Bears fans, and NFL fans in general, doesn't love seeing those iconic images and clips of Butkus?
Fellow Hall of Famer Deacon Jones had had his own reputation for crossing the line, to the point his signature head-slap pass rush move was outlawed. So his famous quote about Butkus came from a place of authority.
"Dick was an animal. I called him a maniac. A stone maniac. He was a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital."
Dick Butkus is the only choice as the greatest player from his home state
FanSided's Nick Villano has named the greatest NFL player from each of our 50 states. Even among an acknowledged shallower pool of candidates than expected, Butkus clearly stood above the rest for his home state.
Illinois: Dick Butkus
Team: Chicago Bears (1965–1973)
"Not going to lie, this one shocked us", Villano wrote. "Not Butkus as the choice, but the talent pool. We thought there would be a ton of players to choose from in Illinois, but there really aren’t. Kirk Cousins was born in Barrington, and is way higher up the list than you’d expect. Otto Graham does deserve an argument here, but we have to go with Mr. Chicago Bears defensive star Dick Butkus. He’s one of the most legendary players in NFL history. Butkus grew up in the Roseland neighborhood on Chicago's South Side and never really left. He went to the University of Illinois to play center and linebacker before he was drafted by the Chicago Bears. Butkus got a chance to stay in one place, which is a rarity these days. Being a native son made him a fan favorite with the base, and that means a ton for this list."
As Villano noted, Butkus was born in Chicago and never really left. That gives him another edge over any other NFL player who was born in Illinois, beyond his legendary level of play on the field.
For Bears fans who called the Land of Lincoln home in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Butkus was literally "one of us." Current fans who call Illinois home surely still consider him the same way, as a native son to feel a connection to when it comes to the legends of Bears' lore.
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Butkus would have a strong case as the greatest NFL player to come from whichever state was his home state. It just happened to be Illinois, where he also spent his entire legendary career in a Bears uniform.
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