Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus (51) poses for a photo during training camp at St. Joseph's College in the 1960s.

Dick Butkus is seen in this undated photo.

Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus walks dejectedly along Chicago Bears sidelines Sunday, January 26, 1973 as injuries prevented him playing against the Minnesota Vikings.

Dick Butkus is seen in this undated photo.

Linebacker Dick Butkus #51 of the Chicago Bears mixes it up with wide receiver Lance Rentzel #13 of the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 3, 1971 in Los Angeles, California.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus

Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus of the Chicago Bears looks to make a stop in a 17 to 16 win over the Los Angeles Rams on December 8, 1968 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus drops back in a 27-10 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on 10/29/1972.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus pressures Green Bay quarterback Jerry Tagge in a 20-17 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field on 10/8/1972.

Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus of the Chicago Bears dives to make a stop in a 17 to 16 win over the Los Angeles Rams on December 8, 1968 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus.

Linebacker Dick Butkus #51 of the West watches from the sideline against the East in the 1967 NFL Pro Bowl at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 22, 1967 in Los Angeles, California. The East defeated the West 20-10.

Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus #51 of the National Conference watches from the bench against the American Conference in the 1971 NFL Pro Bowl on January 24, 1971 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the Los Angeles, California.

Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus (51) of the Chicago Bears in action during the Bears 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on October 3, 1971 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

Dick Butkus linebacker of the Chicago Bears is shown in 1970.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus pursues the ball carrier during a game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus circa 1971.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus (51) circa the late-1960s.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus in 1970.

Chcago Bears' linebacker Dick Butkus doesn't agree with an official's call in the the third period of game with Cleveland Browns, October 22, 1967. Cleveland's Gary Collins caught a sideline pass and Butkus argued the Browns' flanker was out of bounds. The play covered 24 yards and and was good for a first down.

Dick Butkus, Ron Mix and Yale Lary, left to right, are shown in Los Angeles as they became the enshrinees of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jan. 29, 1979, in Los Angeles. Formal ceremonies will be held in July.

Dick Butkus (51), linebacker for the Chicago Bears, is shown on Aug. 2, 1973.

This Sept. 13, 1969, file photo shows Chicago Bears' Dick Butkus (51) zeroing in on St. Louis Cardinals' Willie Crenshaw (33) during an NFL football game in Chicago.

Former Chicago Bears greats Gale Sayers, right, and Dick Butkus are seen before an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009.

Linebacker Dick Butkus, called the collegian most coveted by pro football in recent years, is shown with his wife, Helen, during signing ceremonies by the Chicago Bears of the NFL, Dec. 3, 1964. Butkus as a 245-pound linebacker was a University of Illinois standout.

Dick Butkus is seen in this undated photo.

Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus pauses to catch his breath as his team's offense worked against Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Nov. 15, 1970.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus (51) is pictured in Los Angeles, April 1992.

Chicago Bears Dick Butkus (52) during a game from 1971 season at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Dick Butkus played 9 years, all for the Chicago Bears. He was a 8-time Pro Bowler, 5-time first team Pro Bowler and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker #51 Dick Butkus game action file photos.

Former Chicago bears linebacker Dick Butkus holds up his jersey after the team retired his number (51) during halftime ceremonies of the Packers-Bears game Monday night, October 31, 1994, at Chicago's soldier field. At right is the Bear's team president Mike McCaskey.

Former football greats, from left to right; Gary Beban, from the UCLA Bruins, Pat Haden, Los Angeles Rams quarterback, Al Krueger from the University of Southern California, Chicago Bears' Dick Butkus, and Harry Gilmer from the University of Alabama, stand with awards outside of the Rose Bowl as they were all inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, Aug. 10, 1995 in Pasadena, Calif. All five have played in the college Rose Bowl.

Former Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus announces a pick during the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre on Friday, May 1, 2015 in Chicago, Ill.

Former Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus announces a pick during the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre on Friday, May 1, 2015 in Chicago, Ill.

Dick Butkus during the NFL regular season football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Oct. 31, 2016 in Chicago. The Bears won, 20-10.

Former Chicago Bears linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Dick Butkus looks on as he receives his Ring of Excellence award in a halftime ceremony during a week 8 NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears, Monday, Oct 31, 2016, in Chicago. The Vikings won 20-10.

NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, center, waits for the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft with former players, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago.

Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus, right, talks with Clemson linebacker Vic Beasley, during introductions at a pre-draft rally of 2015 NFL Draft prospects, and various league legends at Pioneer Court Wednesday, April 29, 2015, in Chicago.

Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus poses for a portrait in Malibu, California on April 15, 2015.

Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Chicago.

Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus poses with fans during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Chicago.