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Dave Butz

David Roy Butz (June 23, 1950 – November 4, 2022) was an who played 16 seasons in the (NFL), appearing in 222 games for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Redskins. Born in , and raised in , Butz starred at , where he earned consensus All-American honors as a senior and was later inducted into the in 2014. Selected fifth overall in the by the Cardinals, he spent his first two seasons there before joining the Redskins in 1975, where he became a cornerstone of their defensive line amid three Super Bowl appearances, including victories in over the and over the . Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 300 pounds, Butz earned first-team recognition in 1983, a selection that year, second-team honors in 1984, and a place on the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team, contributing to the Redskins' sustained contention in the 1980s under coach . Known for his physical dominance against the run and endurance—starting nearly every game in his Washington tenure—Butz retired after the 1988 season but briefly returned for the 1989 campaign before departing permanently.

Early Life

Family Background and Childhood

David Ray Butz was born on June 23, 1950, in , , to Verlo Ray Butz and Mary Katherine Reinberg Butz. His parents operated a and in the area, reflecting a rural agricultural background. Verlo Butz, raised on a in , had served as a in the U.S. military during prior to the marriage, which is documented on his . As the only son in a family of five children, Butz grew up with four sisters. The family relocated from Alabama to Illinois shortly after his birth, settling in Park Ridge, where Butz spent his childhood. This move shifted the family from Southern farm life to a suburban Midwestern environment, though specific details on early childhood experiences beyond the relocation remain limited in available records.

High School Football

Butz attended in , where he played as a defensive for the Hawks from approximately 1965 to 1968. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing around 245 pounds by his senior year, he dominated opponents with his size and athleticism, earning recognition as a two-time All-American. He was also named All-State in , contributing to his recruitment by multiple college programs including . While primarily focused on football, Butz's high school athletic prowess extended to other , underscoring his versatility; some accounts describe him as a three-time All-American in , though official team-affiliated sources confirm two selections. His performance drew interest from basketball scouts, including a scholarship offer from University of Kentucky coach , highlighting his broad appeal as a prospect.

College Career

Purdue University Achievements

Dave Butz, standing at 6 feet 7 inches and weighing approximately 280 pounds, emerged as a dominant for the during his college career from 1969 to 1972. Despite the team's limited success, with only one winning season in that span, Butz's individual performance elevated him to national prominence as one of the premier defensive linemen in . In his senior year of 1972, Butz earned consensus first-team All-American honors, recognizing his exceptional disruption of opposing offenses. That season, he also secured first-team All-Big Ten acclaim and captained the Purdue squad, leading a that relied heavily on his interior presence. Additionally, Butz received the Zipp Award as college football's outstanding lineman of the year, underscoring his technical prowess and impact. Over his full collegiate tenure, Butz amassed 108 tackles, including 21 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups, stats that highlighted his ability to penetrate backfields and alter game plans. He was named Defensive MVP at the Senior Bowl, further validating his elite status among prospects. These accomplishments culminated in his selection as the fifth overall pick in the by the Cardinals, affirming Purdue's development of a first-round talent. Butz's contributions were later honored with induction into the in 2014 and inclusion on Purdue's All-Time Team.

Professional Career

St. Louis Cardinals Tenure

Dave Butz was selected by the Cardinals as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the out of , where the team sought to strengthen its defensive front seven with his 6-foot-7, 295-pound frame. In his rookie season, Butz transitioned to professional as a left and right , appearing in 12 games and earning recognition on the NFL All-Rookie team for his immediate contributions to the Cardinals' defensive line, despite limited recorded statistics in the era's pre-sack tracking. During the 1974 season, Butz shifted to left and played a role in the Cardinals' 10-4 regular-season record, which secured the division title—their first since 1947—though the team fell 17-14 to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional . He declined to sign a new contract that year, opting instead to play out his existing option year amid negotiations where the Cardinals reduced their offer after initially agreeing to terms, positioning him for free agency at season's end due to a contractual oversight in his rookie deal that failed to bind him beyond the option period. Butz's tenure with the Cardinals spanned just two seasons, totaling 26 games played, before he entered free agency in early 1975; the team received no direct trade compensation but later benefited from draft picks awarded via rulings after his signing elsewhere.

Washington Redskins Dominance

Butz was acquired by the Washington Redskins via from the St. Louis Cardinals on September 9, 1975, in exchange for linebacker Mike Curtis and a fifth-round draft pick, marking the beginning of a 14-season tenure that solidified his role as a cornerstone of the team's defensive line. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches and weighing 291 pounds, Butz provided imposing size and leverage against offensive linemen, starting primarily at left and logging over 200 games for Washington through 1988. His durability was evident in seasons like 1983, when he started all 16 games and recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks, contributing to the Redskins' 14-2 regular-season record. Throughout the 1980s, Butz anchored a fearsome front four alongside ends Dexter Manley and Charles Mann and tackle Darryl Grant, forming one of the NFL's most disruptive units that pressured quarterbacks and controlled the line of scrimmage. He amassed 62.5 sacks with the Redskins, the second-highest total in franchise history at the time of his retirement, demonstrating sustained pass-rushing effectiveness despite evolving schemes that limited official sack tracking before 1982. In 1983, his peak performance earned him first-team All-Pro honors, a Pro Bowl selection, and the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, recognizing his impact in disrupting offenses league-wide. Butz's consistency extended to run defense, where his technique and strength minimized yards after contact; for instance, in 1984, he started 15 games and added 4.5 sacks while earning second-team recognition amid Washington's 11-5 campaign. Even in later years, at age 36 in 1986, he notched 6 sacks across 16 starts, underscoring his longevity as an "ironman" who rarely missed snaps due to injury. This reliability bolstered Washington's defensive rankings, including top-10 finishes in points allowed during multiple seasons, directly supporting the team's contention in the .

Super Bowl Victories and Key Performances

Butz appeared in three s during his tenure with the Redskins, starting each game as a and contributing to two victories. In on January 30, 1983, defeated the 27–17, with the Redskins' defense, anchored by Butz at 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, restricting to 176 total yards and preventing a repeat of the Dolphins' perfect 1972 season. The following year, in on January 22, 1984, Washington lost decisively to the 38–9, as the Raiders' offense overwhelmed the Redskins' front, including Butz, who lined up alongside and Darryl Grant but could not contain Marcus Allen's 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Despite the defeat, Butz's presence helped limit some Raider drives early, though the defense surrendered 428 total yards. Washington rebounded to win on January 31, 1988, against the by a score of 42–10, where Butz again started on the defensive line amid a dominant performance that included five Denver turnovers and held to 174 passing yards. Following the victory, Butz addressed the championship parade crowd with the quip, "We came, we saw, we kicked their butts," encapsulating the team's rout. Official statistics from the era did not track individual tackles or sacks for Butz in these games, but his consistent starting role across 14 playoff appearances underscored his reliability in high-stakes matchups.

Legacy and Impact

Career Statistics and Records

Dave Butz appeared in 216 regular-season games over his 16-year career from 1973 to 1988, starting 192 of them, while recording 64 sacks, two interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries. Of these sacks, five came during his two seasons with the Cardinals (1973–1974), with the remaining 59 credited to his tenure with the Redskins (1975–1988), where he ranks third in franchise history. His sacks were retroactively calculated for seasons prior to , when official tracking began. Butz's most productive year came in , when he achieved a career-high 11.5 sacks, contributing to Washington's Championship run. He maintained consistent production as a run defender, with at least four sacks in eight of his 13 full seasons with , though his role emphasized interior line stuffing over pass-rush volume. In the , Butz started all 15 games he played, adding 3.0 sacks, including two during Washington's 1987 postseason. Butz exemplified durability for a defensive of his era and size (6 feet 8 inches, 295 pounds), missing only four games total despite the physical demands of the position. He holds no major NFL-wide records but contributed to two Bowl-winning defenses, underscoring his value in high-stakes run defense rather than statistical outliers.

Awards, Honors, and Hall of Fame Induction

Butz earned first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press in 1983 following a standout season in which he recorded 11 sacks. He received second-team All-Pro recognition in 1984. His sole Pro Bowl selection came in 1983, marking the pinnacle of his individual NFL accolades. As a key contributor to the Washington Redskins' defensive line, Butz was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year in 1978 and 1981. He served as a captain for the Redskins' Super Bowl championship teams in 1982 (Super Bowl XVII) and 1987 (Super Bowl XXII), contributing to victories over the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, respectively. Additionally, he was selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1980s. Butz was inducted into the in 2014 in recognition of his dominant college career at , where he anchored the defensive line from 1970 to 1972. He received further honors with induction into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 for his early professional tenure with the Cardinals. Despite his longevity and contributions, including appearances in 216 games and 64 career sacks, Butz has not been inducted into the .

Playing Style Analysis and Criticisms

Dave Butz exemplified a power-based style, leveraging his exceptional size—standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds—to dominate the interior line. He specialized in plugging gaps against the run, driving offensive linemen backward into the 's pocket, and absorbing double-team blocks to free up linebackers and edge rushers. Butz combined this brute strength with surprising quickness and strategic awareness, allowing him to disrupt plays effectively without relying on explosive speed, as evidenced by his career totals of 64 quarterback sacks and consistent run-stopping prowess that anchored Washington's defenses in the . His approach emphasized durability and consistency over flash, missing only four regular-season games across 14 years with the while starting in two victories. Butz focused on solid, forceful contacts—stating that "every I hit knows I hit him"—rather than seeking highlight-reel blindsides, which contributed to his reputation as a , team-oriented anchor who batted down passes and adapted to multiple roles. This style proved particularly effective against run-heavy offenses, where he crushed ball carriers and maintained pocket integrity, earning him selection to the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team. Criticisms of Butz's game were limited but centered on perceived lack of visible intensity. Some younger teammates, such as Charles Mann, faulted him for playing without the outward enthusiasm or emotional displays common among flashier defenders, questioning his motivation despite his on-field results. Butz dismissed such views, prioritizing execution on the next play over performative hype, and post-retirement, he addressed detractors who argued he could have amplified his impact through more vicious, punishing hits by emphasizing his substantive contributions to championship defenses. Overall, these critiques appeared minor relative to his proven effectiveness, with contemporaries like coach praising his sustained effort and health into his late 30s.

Personal Life

Family and Post-Football Life

Butz was married twice during his life. His first marriage to Candyce Engel produced three children: Mary Beth, David, and Richard Butz. He later married Debra Duncan, who brought a daughter, Allyson Hundley, from a prior relationship; the couple also shared a grandson, Harvey Hundley. After announcing his retirement from the NFL on May 18, 1989, following 16 professional seasons, Butz relocated to Illinois, his home state, where he worked in real estate and for a sales and service company. He developed an interest in sporting clays as a post-career pursuit, building on marksmanship skills honed with BB guns during his youth. Butz also contributed to charitable causes in his community.

Death and Tributes

Dave Butz died at his home in , , on November 4, 2022, at the age of 72. No cause of death was publicly disclosed by his family or the team. The , for whom Butz played 14 seasons and won two Super Bowls, announced his passing and described him as a franchise cornerstone, noting his selection and First-Team honors. The organization expressed being "heartbroken" over the loss of a "Washington legend." Former teammate and quarterback mourned Butz as "a true gentle giant," posting: "Lost a dear friend today. Dave Butz... my friend." , Butz's , issued a statement recognizing him as a college legend and inductee. Additional coverage in outlets like highlighted his status and contributions in retrospective tributes.

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