Bears legend and NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus has died. He was 80 years old.

According to TMZ, Butkus was found unresponsive in his Malibu, California, home on Thursday.

After playing college football at Illinois, Butkus played his entire NFL career with his hometown Bears from 1965 to 1973.

Butkus, whose No. 51 was retired by the Bears in 1994, was named to the league’s All-Decade teams in the ‘60s and ‘70s ... as well as the 75th and 100th Anniversary teams.

He entered the Hall of Fame in 1979 in his first year of eligibility. He started all 119 games he played for the Bears, earning six All-NFL selections, two Defensive Player of the Year honors and was selected for eight Pro Bowls. He had 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries over nine seasons. Injuries shortened his career.

Butkus was among the Bears alumni honored at halftime of the Bears’ season opener against the rival Packers. He was interviewed on the scoreboard earlier in the game and said that it was “always good to be back in Chicago, especially when the Bears are going to kick the Packers’ [butt].”

Butkus visited Halas Hall the following week. He’d done so the year before, in Matt Eberflus’ first month of regular-season games.

“It was awesome to have him here. It was special,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said in 2022. “I got a chance to take him up to my office and show him the Monsters of the Midway behind my desk. Of course, he’s on top, which is cool. He really liked seeing that. It was a joy to visit with him.”