Sen. Jason Plummer (left) with Dave Butz (right) | Jason Plummer/Facebook
Sen. Jason Plummer (left) with Dave Butz (right) | Jason Plummer/Facebook
As word started to spread that Illinois football legend Dave Butz died, Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Vandalia) was one of many people to mourn the loss of a man who's impact went beyond the sport.
Plummer expressed his sadness over the death of Butz, a former NFL player, in a Nov. 4 Facebook post.
"Wow...very saddened to hear of the passing of Dave Butz. Everyone has heard of his football exploits but, off the field, he may of had an even bigger impact," Plummer wrote. "I was fortunate to get to know him and he was a class act – a humble, decent man who used his fame for good. He was an advocate for shooting sports, firearms safety and civic engagement. The Super Bowl champion and College Football Hall of Fame member took the time to visit, teach young kids firearms safety, oversee the trap shooting, provide some generous comments and let anyone and everyone who wanted to try on his Super Bowl and College Football Hall of Fame rings do so. He was a gentle giant and will be missed."
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Butz died on Friday, Nov. 4 at the age of 72, but how he died wasn't immediately released. Butz was known for his athleticism, as a "three-sport star at Maine South." The paper notes that Butz "was an All-American football player, scored more than 1,500 points in basketball and held the state discus record for 13 years."
The Washington Commanders, the team that Butz spent 14 of 16 NFL seasons playing for, announced Butz' death in a tweet: "We're heartbroken over the loss of Washington Legend Dave Butz, a 2x Super Bowl champion and member of our Ring of Fame and 90 Greatest list. Sending our deepest condolences to Dave's family and friends."
The NFL also shared an announcement about Butz' death. In that message, they noted that Butz had been the "fifth overall pick out of Purdue in 1973, Butz was an All-Pro selection in 1983 and finished second in voting for AP Defensive Player of the Year when he started all 16 games for Washington and had 11½ sacks. He also made the Pro Bowl that season."
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