Dick Butkus was born on the 9th December 1942, in Chicago, Illinois USA, and is a former professional American Football player who spent his entire career as a linebacker in the NFL team the Chicago Bears (1965-1973). One of the most intimidating players at the time, Butkus has been a Hall of Famer since 1979. Thanks to his skills, Butkus’ net worth significantly increased. His playing career started in 1965 and ended in 1973, after which he became a broadcaster and actor, among other interests.
Have you ever wondered how rich Dick Butkus is, as of mid-2016? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Dick Butkus’ net worth is as high as $8 million. After his career in football, Butkus appeared in several films which also added a lot to his wealth.
Dick Butkus Net Worth $8 Million
Richard Marvin “Dick” Butkus was a youngest of nine children of Lithuanian immigrants Emma, a laundry worker, and Don, an electrician. Butkus grew up in Chicago South Side and went to Chicago Vocational High School, and later studied at the University of Illinois from 1962 to 1965. He was one of the most valuable players in college and totalled 374 tackles in his college career.
The Chicago Bears drafted Butkus as the 3rd pick overall in the 1965 NFL Draft, and he never played for another team during his career. Butkus was selected eight times to the Pro Bowl (1965-1972), and six times into the First-team All-Pro (1965, 1967–1970, 1972). Dick was also twice an NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1969, 1970), and found his place in the NFL 1960s and 1970s All-Decade Teams.
Thanks to his great performance, his net worth increased by a large margin, as he received lucrative contracts from the Bears. Dubbed “The Most Feared Man in the Game”, Butkus had the best season of the career in 1970 recording 132 tackles, 84 assists, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Several severe knee injuries saw him finish his career aged 31, and the Chicago Bears retired his jersey No. 51. Dick ended his career with a total of 1,020 tackles, 23 interceptions, and 27 fumble recoveries.
After his playing days were over, Butkus became an actor and broadcaster. He made his debut in the film “The Longest Yard” (1974) starring Burt Reynolds, and continued his careerwith a role in “Cry, Onion!” (1975) with Franco Nero. The following year he featured in “Mother, Jugs & Speed”, with Bill Cosby, Raquel Welch, and Harvey Keitel, and a few years later he got the part in Jerry Lewis’ “Cracking Up” (1983), further increasing his net worth. Dick also had roles in “Johnny Dangerously” (1984) starring Michael Keaton, and in Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” (1999) with Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, and Matthew Modine. All contributed to is net worth.
Butkus appeared in several TV series, such as “Blue Thunder” (1984), “My Two Dads” (1987-1990), and “Hang Time” (1995-2000), which also added to his net worth. He worked as an analyst on “The NFL Today” pre-game show from 1988 to 1989 and also made a few commercials, including the one for FedEx in 2005.
Regarding his personal life, Dick Butkus has been married to Helen Essenberg since 1963; they met while studying at the University of Illinois, and they have three children together. He established The Butkus Foundation that includes The I Play Clean Campaign, The Butkus Award, and The Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness.
Leave a Comment