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Butkus is back Former Bear returning to Chicago sidelines -- with XFL
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- Dick Butkus is returning to football -- as head coach of the XFL's Chicago franchise. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to return to the game of pro football," said Butkus, who is the league's first head coach to be named. "The XFL is going to be an extremely competitive league. This is a unique challenge which I'm approaching with the same amount of energy that I had during my playing days."
The eight-team XFL will begin play Feb. 3, 2001. The league is jointly owned by NBC and the World Wrestling Federation. "We're thrilled to have one of professional football's most accomplished all-time players taking the reins here in Chicago,"' said Ken Valdiserri, Vice President and General Manager of the XFL-Chicago team. "Dick Butkus' personality and his style as a player is what we're looking for in the XFL. Chicago is one of America's premier sports towns and richly deserves to have a head coach of Dick's regional and national stature. "His name is synonymous with football," Valdiserri said. "He brings the kind of respect and credibility that will make our players proud to be playing for this team and this great city." Butkus was elected to Pro Football's Hall of Fame in 1979 after being drafted in the first round out of the University of Illinois by the Chicago Bears in 1965. His nine-year career ended in 1973 following a serious knee injury. Butkus had 22 career interceptions and 25 fumble recoveries.
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