Dave Butz

David Ray 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 played high school football at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he was two-time high school All-American.

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

Professional football Butz was selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1973 NFL draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, where he would play for two seasons.

Butz then played for the Washington Redskins for 14 years, losing to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII, and winning Super Bowl XXII over the Denver Broncos. At the victory parade after Super Bowl XXII, he famously shouted to the crowd, "We came, we saw, we kicked their butts."

As of 2022, Butz ranks fifth in franchise history in sacks (59.0, was third in 2008). He was a one-time Pro Bowler in 1983 in a season in which he managed eleven sacks, a career-best. He was named to the NFL All-Pro team in 1983 and 1984. He only missed four games in his entire 16-year career.

In 1988, Butz played in his 197th game for the Washington franchise, passing Len Hauss to set a franchise record for games played. He would later retire at 203 games played for Washington. He appeared in 216 NFL games, 191 as a starter, from 1973 to 1988. He tallied 64 sacks in his career. When he retired, he was the oldest starting player in the NFL.

Butz was selected to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. He was named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins at the Redskins' 70th anniversary in 2002. His name is also featured along with that of other notable players in team history on the "Ring of Fame" at FedExField.

Personal life and death Butz moved to Belleville, Illinois, early in his NFL career and continued to reside in the area for the remainder of his life with his wife, Candyce; the couple had three children. He also had a home in Fairfax, Virginia.

Butz died in Swansea, Illinois, on November 4, 2022, at age 72.