Dave Butz

David Roy Butz (June 23, 1950 – November 4, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Redskins in a 16-year career from 1973 to 1988. During his time with Washington, as the team's defensive "anchor", he helped the Redskins reach the Super Bowl thrice, winning twice. He was named as one of the 70 Greatest Redskins in franchise history and a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. Before turning professional, he played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Early life Butz was born in LaFayette, Alabama, on June 23, 1950, and soon moved with his family to Illinois. He played high school football at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he was two-time high school All-American. He also played basketball and was the Illinois High School discus champion, setting a state record. He was the nephew of Earl Butz, a Purdue University professor who later served as United States secretary of agriculture. College football Butz played college football at Purdue University, where he was a 1972 finalist for the Lombardi Award. He was a first-team All-Big Ten member and played in both the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl, where he was named the Defensive MVP. Butz was named to the Purdue Boilermakers' Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. He was later also named to Purdue's All Time Football team and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.