Dave Butz, who helped Washington win 2 Tremendous Bowls, dies

WASHINGTON — All-Professional defensive lineman and two-time Washington Tremendous Bowl champion Dave Butz has died. He was 72.

A spokesman for the Washington Commanders confirmed that Butz’s household knowledgeable the group about his loss of life Friday. It was not instantly identified the place Butz died or the reason for his loss of life.

Butz spent 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with Washington after breaking into the league with the St. Louis Cardinals, the place he performed his first two years (1973 and 1974). As one of many league’s greatest gamers on the time at 6-foot-8 and practically 300 kilos, he was a key a part of Washington’s protection for the franchise’s first two Tremendous Bowl-winning groups within the 1982 and 1987 seasons.

The fifth general select of Purdue in 1973, Butz was an All-Professional choice in 1983 and completed second in voting for AP Defensive Participant of the 12 months when he began all 16 video games for Washington and had 11½ sacks. He additionally made the Professional Bowl that season.

Butz retired after the 1988 season, is a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame and was chosen as one of many group’s 90 best gamers earlier this yr when the group commemorated its ninetieth anniversary.

The team said on Twitter it was “heartbroken” over the lack of a “Washington legend.”

Former teammate and Washington quarterback Joe Theismann posted: “Misplaced an expensive pal at present. Dave Butz. Dave, Mark (Moseley) and I used to experience to video games collectively. A real light big. Relaxation In Peace my pal.”

Butz recorded 64 sacks in 216 regular-season video games with St. Louis and Washington. He grew to become a free agent after his second season with the Cardinals because of an error in his rookie contract. Washington gave up two first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Cardinals as compensation for signing him.

The Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame made him a second-team all-Eighties choice for his play through the decade.

Butz is a member of Purdue’s all-time soccer group. He was elected to the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2014.