Chicago Bears legendary middle linebacker Dick Butkus turns 70 today. In 1965 the Chicago Bears had the 3rd and 4th picks in the NFL draft. With the first pick the NY Giants took running back Tucker Frederickson, the second pick the 49ers took running back Ken Willard. Both turned out to be alright but not overwhelming. They had NFL careers. The third pick the Bears [with a pick acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers} took Dick Butkus, with the 4th pick they took the great Gale Sayers. I doubt that any team has gotten two players of this caliber in the same draft. Both were spectacular and sadly both had their careers shortened by injuries. The Bears during those years with the most exciting offensive player in the game and the most exciting defensive player in the game were not good teams.

Dick Butkus was brutal. I remember him once saying that his goal was to knock off a ballcarrier’s head. The way Dick Butkus hit people it is a wonder that he didn’t achieve that goal. #51 was big 6’3″ 245 and was probably the hardest hitting player in league history. He made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons. He was a member of the All-1960’s and All 1970’s NFL Teams-even though he only played a few years in the 1970’s. People were afraid of Dick Butkus. Off the field he seemed by all accounts to be a mild mannered guy, on the field he was a psychopath.

Like his teammate Sayers he had to retired after suffering multiple knee surgeries. It is too bad those two couldn’t have stayed healthy longer and played on great teams.