Dick Butkus wife Helen Essenberg and children Ricky, Matt and Nikki are bereaved following the sad passing of the legendary linebacker.
Dick Butkus is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in NFL history.
He played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973, earning eight Pro Bowl selections, six All-Pro honors, and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and is considered the gold standard for middle linebackers.
Yet behind the fierce and fearsome persona on the field, Dick Butkus was also a loving husband and father.
He has been married to his high school sweetheart, his wife Helen Essenberg since 1963 and they have three children: Ricky, Matt, and Nikki as well as five grandchildren.
Butkus sadly died at the age of 80 in October 2023.
Following his death, fans are searching for more info about his family.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the family of Dick Butkus from his wife Helen Essenberg to his three children and reveal all there is to know about them.
Dick Butkus Wife
Dick Butkus wife and the mother of his three children was Helen Essenberg.
Helen Essenberg was born in August 1942, making her 80 years old.
Dick Butkus wife is very private about her personal life and prefers to stay away from the limelight.
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Helen met Dick when they were both students at Chicago Vocational High School.
They started dating and fell in love with each other, later getting married on July 6th 1963 while they were still attending the University of Illinois.
Helen supported Dick throughout his football career, even though it was not easy to cope with his injuries and surgeries such as…
- Having his knee replaced with a metal unit.
- An osteotomy that left him with one leg one-and-a-half inches shorter than the other, which affected his hips, back, and neck.
- Quintuple bypass surgery in 2002 to remove blockages in his arteries.
A stunning example of enduring love, Dick Butkus has been married to his wife Helen for a staggering 60 years and they were still going strong at the time of his untimely death.
On 6th July 2023, Dick Butkus took to his Instagram handle to celebrate his wife on their 60th wedding anniversary!
Sharing a photo from their wedding all those years ago, he wrote: “Today, my beautiful wife and I are celebrating 60 years of marriage! I wouldn’t trade a second of it for anything. Happy anniversary!”
After Dick Butkus retired from football, he moved to Florida and later California with his wife.
They enjoyed spending time with their three children and five grandchildren.
Helen is also involved in Dick’s charitable activities, such as the Butkus Foundation.
Some of the foundation’s activities include…
- The Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s best high school, college, and professional linebackers.
- The Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness, a nonprofit organization in Orange County, California, with a cardiac screening program that uses specialized testing to help identify those at risk of heart disease and sudden cardiac death.
- The I Play Clean Campaign addresses the issue of steroids among high school athletes.
Helen plays a prominent role in the foundation as a supporter of her husband.
Sadly, Dick Butkus would pass away on Thursday, October 5th 2023.
TMZ reports: “NFL legend Dick Butkus — one of the greatest linebackers of all time — has died, TMZ Sports has learned. He was 80 years old.
“We’re told someone went to check on Butkus at his home on Thursday … and he was found unresponsive.
“Our sources tell us … paramedics responded to a call for a patient in cardiac arrest at Butkus’ residence in Malibu at 12:51 PM. He was pronounced dead at the scene,”
In the history of wives, Dick Butkus can be described as a winner because there have been few as dedicated and loyal as his wife Helen Essenberg.
May she and her family be comforted at this difficult time.
Dick Butkus Children
The late NFL star Dick Butkus and his wife Helen would welcome three children throughout their 60-year marriage – Ricky, Matt and Nikki Butkus.
Below are brief profiles of Dick Butkus kids.
Ricky Butkus: The Actor Son of Dick Butkus
Ricky Butkus, whose full name is Richard M. Butkus Jr., is the eldest son of Dick and Helen Butkus. He was born on July 26, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois.
He followed his father’s footsteps into the entertainment industry, but as an actor rather than a football player.
Ricky has appeared in several movies and TV shows, such as Star Trek, National Treasure, Spider-Man, ER, CSI: Miami, NCIS, Bones, and The Mentalist. He usually plays supporting roles or minor characters, often as a cop or a security guard.
He has also done some voice acting for video games, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Mafia III.
Ricky is married to Lisa Butkus, who is also an actress.
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They have two children: a son named Jake and a daughter named Emma. Ricky is close to his father and often attends events with him.
Matt Butkus: The Footballer Son of Dick Butkus
Matt Butkus is the second son of Dick Butkus and his wife Helen.
He was born on August 24, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois.
Matt inherited his father’s passion and talent for football and played as a defensive lineman for the USC Trojans in college.
He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft, but he did not make the final roster.
He then played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994, but he only appeared in one game. He retired from football after that season due to injuries.
Matt is now a businessman and a philanthropist.
He runs a company called Gridiron Enterprises, which provides sports marketing and consulting services.
He also supports his father’s charitable causes, such as the I Play Clean campaign, which educates young athletes about the dangers of steroid use.
Matt is married to Jennifer Butkus, who is a former USC cheerleader.
They have three children: two sons named Luke and Cole, and a daughter named Grace.
Nikki Butkus: The Daughter of Dick Butkus
The third of Dick and Helen Butkus kids and the only daughter is Nikki Butkus.
She was born on June 5, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois.
Nikki is the youngest and most private member of the family hence not much is known about her personal life or career.
Nikki occasionally appears with her father at public events or on social media posts. She seems to have a good relationship with her parents and siblings.
Wikipedia
The below section is culled from the Wikipedia entry for Dick Butkus.
Richard Marvin Butkus (born December 9, 1942) is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, and actor.
He played football as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973.
He was invited to eight Pro Bowls, named a first-team All-Pro six times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
He was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
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Butkus was born in Chicago and played his entire football career in his home state of Illinois, which began at Chicago Vocational High School.
He was a linebacker and a center for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
He was a twice consensus All-American, and he led the Illini to a Rose Bowl victory in 1963 and was deemed the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference. He was named college football’s Lineman of the Year in 1964.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Dick Butkus was selected by the Bears as the third overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft.
He soon established himself as a ball hawk with his penchant for forcing turnovers.
In his NFL career, he intercepted 22 passes and recovered 27 fumbles (a record when he retired) and he was responsible for causing many more fumbles with his jarring tackles.
His tackling ability earned him both admiration and trepidation from opposing players.
According to Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones, Butkus “was a well-conditioned animal, and every time he hit you, he tried to put you in the cemetery, not the hospital.”
In 2009, the NFL Network named Butkus the most feared tackler of all time.
Butkus married his high school sweetheart, wife Helen Essenberg, in 1963 while they were students at the University of Illinois.
After his retirement, Butkus moved to Florida, and later to Malibu, California. He remains an avid fan and frequent media image for the Bears.
Butkus has three children: Ricky, Matt, and Nikki.
Matt played college football for the USC Trojans as a defensive lineman, and joins his father in philanthropic activities.
Butkus’s nephew Luke Butkus has been an assistant coach in the NFL for the Bears, Seattle Seahawks, and Jacksonville Jaguars, he also coached for the University of Illinois, his alma mater, and as of 2019 is an assistant coach for the Green Bay Packers.
Butkus’s grandson Ian Parish plays volleyball for the UCLA Bruins.
Dick Butkus is a football legend who has left a lasting legacy on the game and the fans whilst also being a family man who loves his wife and children dearly.
His family has been his source of strength and support throughout his life and career. He would surely be dearly missed.
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