In Chicago, where everyone likes to think of themselves as tough, Dick Butkus was the real deal. The Chicago Bears linebacking great, who died Thursday at 80, was considered the toughest guy in a sport in which hitting is not optional. He carried that persona into his post-football life, cashing in on that demeanor in movies and TV and even bringing it to the social media site formerly called .
Since he has been gone, the Bears have been done. The locker room hasn’t been the same, the coaches have been searching for answers, and the organization hasn’t a clue what to do.