Chicago Bears To Honor Dick Butkus With Special NFL Jersey Patch

The Chicago Bears and the NFL world at large lost a legend last week when Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus died at the age of 80.

Butkus, a Chicago native who played college ball at Illinois, was drafted NFL Jerseys third overall by his hometown team in 1965, and he would go on to forge a legendary career for himself. With eight Pro Bowls, five first-team All-Pro selections and two Defensive Player of the Year awards in nine seasons, it's not hard to see why Butkus is one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

Additionally, Butkus is also one of the most-important players in Bears history, and his passing left a massive impact on the franchise. In the wake of such a legend's death, the Bears announced on Friday that they'd add a special patch to their jerseys for the remainder of the season. The patch features Butkus' iconic No. 51 inside a navy blue and orange football, obviously representing the Bears' colors.

"It's been gratifying to hear so many of our Chicago Bears Jerseys current players say in recent days how much they appreciate the Butkus legacy," Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey said, per the team's official site. "The purpose of the patch is, every time they pull on the pads they'll take a moment to think about Dick and his approach to the game."

No player has worn Butkus' No. 51 jersey since the Bears retired the number in 1994. While that likely won't ever change, the patch is almost certainly the closest any Bear will get to wearing it again.

Chicago has had a tough Cheap jersey start to the season, sitting at 1-4 with plenty of controversies on and off the field. However, the death of a franchise icon could serve as a rallying point, as the Bears beat the Washington Commanders 40-20 on the night of Butkus' passing to earn their first win of the year.

The Bears will debut their new jersey patch when they host the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, hoping to honor Butkus' legacy proudly.