Washington football legend Dave Butz has died, the team confirmed on Friday. He was 72.
The Commanders posted a tribute on Twitter mourning the two-time Super Bowl champion defensive tackle with the then-Redskins.
It was not immediately known where Butz died or what the cause of death was.
Butz played 14 of his 16 seasons in the NFL in Washington, where he logged over 200 games. The former All-Pro had 64 career sacks, with 59 of them for Washington, including 11 1/2 in 1983.
Known for his size — he was 6-foot-8 and weighed roughly 300 pounds, unusually large for that era — and his toughness, he was a key member of Washington’s defense in three Super Bowl appearances, two of them wins, in 1982 and 1987. He also missed just four games in his career and in 1987 famously checked himself out of the hospital the morning of a game against the Jets, sealing the win with a sack of Ken O’Brien, before returning to the hospital afterward.
Drafted fifth overall out of Purdue in 1973 by the Cardinals, Butz spent his first two years in St. Louis before being traded to Washington.
Butz, who retired after the 1988 season, is also a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame and was selected as one of the team’s 90 greatest players earlier this year when it commemorated its 90th anniversary.
“Lost a dear friend today,” former teammate and Washington quarterback Joe Theismann tweeted. “Dave Mark [Moseley] and I used to ride to games together. A true gentle giant. Rest In Peace my friend.”