2-time SB champ, NCAA football HOFer Butz dies

WASHINGTON -- All-Pro antiaircraft lineman and two-time Washington Super Bowl champion Dave Butz has died. He was 72.

A spokesperson for the Washington Commanders confirmed that Butz's household informed the squad astir his decease Friday. It was not instantly known wherever Butz died oregon the origin of his death.

Butz spent 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with Washington aft breaking into the league with the St. Louis Cardinals, wherever helium played his archetypal 2 years (1973 and 1974). As 1 of the league's biggest players astatine the clip astatine 6-foot-8 and astir 300 pounds, helium was a cardinal portion of Washington's defence for the franchise's archetypal 2 Super Bowl-winning teams successful the 1982 and 1987 seasons.

The 5th wide prime retired of Purdue successful 1973, Butz was an All-Pro enactment successful 1983 and finished 2nd successful voting for AP Defensive Player of the Year erstwhile helium started each 16 games for Washington and had 11½ sacks. He besides made the Pro Bowl that season.

Butz retired aft the 1988 season, is simply a subordinate of Washington's Ring of Fame and was chosen arsenic 1 of the organization's 90 top players earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile the squad commemorated its 90th anniversary.

The team said connected Twitter it was "heartbroken" implicit the nonaccomplishment of a "Washington legend."

Former teammate and Washington quarterback Joe Theismann posted: "Lost a beloved person today. Dave Butz. Dave, Mark (Moseley) and I utilized to thrust to games together. A existent gentle giant. Rest In Peace my friend."

Butz recorded 64 sacks successful 216 regular-season games with St. Louis and Washington. He became a escaped cause aft his 2nd play with the Cardinals owed to an mistake successful his rookie contract. Washington gave up 2 first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Cardinals arsenic compensation for signing him.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame made him a second-team all-1980s enactment for his play during the decade.

Butz is simply a subordinate of Purdue's all-time shot team. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame successful 2014.