--- description: Photos by the great LIFE photographer Bill Eppridge manage to convey Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus' legendary ferocity on the field. title: Dick Butkus, 1965: Photos of the Baddest Rookie the NFL Has Ever Seen image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt69f5ab7d38a75855/69884aeff887dc8e4be8fe1a/131204-life-dick-butkus-1965-crop.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Athletes](/tag/athletes/) ## Athletes Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Dick Butkus in 1965: The Baddest Rookie the NFL Has Ever Seen by [Ben Cosgrove](/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 3, 2013 6:42 PM CUT  Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus after recovering a fumble during a game against the Rams in 1965. Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus after recovering a fumble during a game against the Rams in 1965.Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images by [Ben Cosgrove](/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 3, 2013 6:42 PM CUT In November 1965, LIFE magazine published an article titled “The Year of the Rookie” — a look at the remarkable crop of players making their debut in what LIFE characterized as “a rough world full of strange codes and crafty old pros.” The article, meanwhile, focused primarily on one rookie in particular, a force of nature named Dick Butkus, and featured photos by the great Bill Eppridge that caught something of the 22-year-old linebacker’s storied intensity on the field. Here, as the 2013 pro football season wends its chaotic way toward the playoffs (How many teams have a shot at the postseason this year? 20?), LIFE recalls that 1965 season, and especially the one rookie who not only lived up to the hype, but happily stalked it, grabbed it and slammed it, dazed and bruised, to the ground. As LIFE told its readers: --- > “” ---  Dick Butkus in action during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Dick Butkus in action during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Dick Butkus appears agitated during a game against the Rams after his helmet was ripped off his head -- by the face mask -- following his first pro interception, 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Dick Butkus appears agitated during a game against the Rams after his helmet was ripped off his head -- by the face mask -- following his first pro interception, 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Dick Butkus in action during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Dick Butkus in action during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Dick Butkus practices during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Dick Butkus and legendary Bears owner/coach George Halas in 1965. Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. "Leaving Wrigley Field after a game, Helen Butkus gazes at her hero. They met in high school, married while Dick was attending the U. of Illinois." Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3878447/dick-butkus-1965-photos-of-the-baddest-rookie-the-nfl-has-ever-seen/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3878447/dick-butkus-1965-photos-of-the-baddest-rookie-the-nfl-has-ever-seen/"},"headline":"Dick Butkus in 1965: The Baddest Rookie the NFL Has Ever Seen","datePublished":"2013-12-03T18:42:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:03:48.825Z","description":"LIFE recalls that 1965 season, and especially the one rookie who not only lived up to the hype, but happily stalked it, grabbed it and slammed it, dazed and bruised, to the ground.","url":"https://time.com/3878447/dick-butkus-1965-photos-of-the-baddest-rookie-the-nfl-has-ever-seen/","keywords":["Athletes","Football","NFL","chicago","photography","Bill Eppridge","1965"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt69f5ab7d38a75855/69884aeff887dc8e4be8fe1a/131204-life-dick-butkus-1965-crop.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ben Cosgrove","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ben-cosgrove/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt69f5ab7d38a75855/69884aeff887dc8e4be8fe1a/131204-life-dick-butkus-1965-crop.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Dick Butkus, NFL Rookie, 1965_feat","caption":"Dick Butkus appears agitated after recovering a fumble against the Rams during his rookie season with the Bears in 1965.","creditText":"Bill Eppridge—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/athletes/","name":"Athletes"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3878447/dick-butkus-1965-photos-of-the-baddest-rookie-the-nfl-has-ever-seen/","name":"Dick Butkus in 1965: The Baddest Rookie the NFL Has Ever Seen"}}]}] ```