5 NFL players who retired too soon

2. Dick Butkus

What is it about the NFC North that drives great NFL players to retire too soon? Football’s black-and-blue division is a frigid tundra graveyard of wasted talent and broken dreams.

Often referred to as “The Most Feared Man in the Game,” Dick Butkus revolutionized football at the linebacker position. Drafted in the first round with the third overall pick by the Bears, Butkus spent his entire career in Chicago. As a rookie, Butkus led his team in tackles, interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries. Over the course of his illustrious career, he managed to recover 27 fumbles and probably is best remembered for his ability to strip the ball out of the hands of opposing running backs.

Like Sanders and Sharpe, Butkus was selected to the Pro Bowl every single season he was in the NFL – an impressive streak of eight straight times. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice in 1969 and 1970, though his individual successes as a player were offset by the collective failures of a weak and loss-prone Bears team.

After just nine seasons in the NFL, Butkus was forced to retire from the game in 1973 because of multiple knee injuries. Up until then, the stalwart middle linebacker had been one of the most durable and dependable players in the league, so it’s unfortunate that everything came crashing to a halt for him so suddenly.

Next: 1. Jim Brown