Known as a ferocious and punishing tackler, Butkus came to define the modern middle linebacker while spending his entire career in Chicago, where he earned eight Pro Bowl selections.
"The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at home in Malibu, California," the Butkus family said in a statement provided by the Bears.
The late Deacon Jones, a defensive end and fellow Hall of Famer, once described the two-time Defensive Player of the Year as "A well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital."
His accomplishments were acknowledged in 1985 with the institution of the Dick Butkus Award, an annual honor recognizing the best linebacker at the high school, collegiate and professional levels.
Butkus' passing sparked an outpouring of grief and FedEx Field held a moment of silence before the Washington Commanders played the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football.
"He established a level of production and intensity few have matched," the Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. "His name most often was cited first as the epitome of what it took to excel at the highest level."
'WOULDN'T SETTLE'
A definitive figure in the pantheon of Chicago sports greats, Butkus was born and raised in the Windy City as the youngest of nine children.
He decided by the fifth grade that he wanted to become a professional football player and stayed close to home to play at the collegiate level at the University of Illinois before the Bears drafted him third overall in 1965.
"I dreamed of being a great football player as far back as I can remember. I decided to take one step at a time and wouldn't settle for less," Butkus said at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1979.
"I knew God had given me the physical aspects needed, now it was up to me."
His career with the Bears got off to an auspicious start as he had 11 solo tackles in his first game. He would go on to record 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries across his career.
While he never won a Super Bowl, he was counted as perhaps the most terrifying member of the so-called "Monsters of the Midway."
"Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL's all-time greats," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
"Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears."
A knee injury forced him to retire at the age of 31 after the 1973 season.
He then became an advocate for "clean play," raising awareness of the dangers of steroid use through his "I Play Clean" initiative.
The 6-foot 3-inch Butkus also turned to broadcasting as well as acting, appearing in films including "The Longest Yard" and "Any Given Sunday".
