Dave Butz

David Butz (born June 23, 1950 in Lafayette, Alabama) is a former American Football defensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Redskins in a sixteen-year career from 1973 to 1988.

Early career
Butz played high school football at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he was two-time high school All-American. He also played basketball and was the Illinois High School discus champion, setting a state record. He then played college football at Purdue University, where he was a 1972 finalist for the Lombardi Award.

At the victory parade following the Redskins win in Super Bowl XXII, Butz famously shouted to the crowd, "We came, we saw, we kicked their butz."

Butz was later named to Purdue's All Time Football team.

Professional career
Butz was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, where he would play for two seasons. Redskins coach George Allen gave the Cardinals two first-round draft picks and a second-rounder for the right to Butz. Butz then played for the Washington Redskins for 14 years, where he had three Super Bowl appearances. He ranks third in franchise history in sacks (59.5). He was a one time Pro Bowler in 1983 in a season in which he got eleven sacks, a career best. He only missed four games in his entire 16-year career. Butz was among the largest players in the NFL when he played standing 6'8" and routinely weighing around 300 pounds. When he retired, he was the oldest starting player in the NFL.

Butz was selected to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and was named one of the 70 Greatest Redskins.

After football
Butz has recently served as a consultant and board member for the National Rifle Association.

Family
Butz currently lives in Belleville, Illinois.

He is the nephew of Earl Butz, a former United States Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford; his uncle held the Cabinet post during Butz's first season in Washington.