My Two Dads Star Staci Keanan Remembers Dick Butkus After His Death: ‘A Gentle, Sweet, Quiet Man’ (Exclusive)

Dick Butkus’ ex My two dads Costar Staci Keanan remembers the late Chicago Bears Hall of Famer, who died Thursday. He was 80 years old.

“I’m sorry to hear that Dick has passed away. He was such a gentle, sweet, quiet man,” Keanan told PEOPLE exclusively.

“He didn’t say much, but when he did, he was surprisingly funny,” she said, recalling their time on the set of the 1980s NBC sitcom.

Dick Butkus.

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

“He wore Birkenstocks when we worked together — they weren’t fashionable then — it seemed to be because he had pain from his football days, and when he walked he seemed to have chronic pain. But he never complained about it.”

Keanan continued, explaining how even off the field, Butkus was a shining star.

“My two dads he once did an episode that included a highlight from what was supposed to be Dick’s character’s football career,” she said before marveling at his ability to excel at the game,” Keanan said. NFL career. When I saw that, I couldn’t believe that all those huge tackles and sacks came from the gentle giant I knew.”

My two dads lasted from September 1987 to April 1990.

Dick Butkus, Greg Evigan, Florence Stanley, Staci Keanan, Giovanni Ribisi, Paul Reiser, 1987-89,.

The Everett Collection

The sitcom followed an unconventional family consisting of two men, Michael Taylor (Paul Reiser) and Joey Harris (Greg Evigan), who loved the same woman and fought for her affection for more than a decade.

Keanan’s character, Nicole Bradford, appeared when the woman Joey and Michael longed for died, leaving behind a daughter who could have been either of them’s child. Instead of doing a paternity test, the trio lived under the same roof as a family.

Butkus had a recurring role on the sitcom as restaurant owner Ed Klawicki, who was also a former football player.

Dick Butkus is rehearsing his role as Klawicki.

getty/nbc

In an October 2022 interview with Chicago’s WGN 9, he opened up about how he got into acting in the first place.

After discussing how Sylvester Stallone honored the linebacker by naming his dog Rocky after Butkus, WGN asked how the professional athlete turned his career around after football.

Roger Goodell, athletes and others react to Dick Butkus’ death: ‘One of NFL’s all-time greats’

“When I was done with my knee at the age of 30, I had to find out the next best thing to my life, which is, it’s not fun,” Butkus explained. “So all these people who work and probably don’t really like doing what they have to do, but out of necessity they have to do it. I am blessed, I feel very lucky.”

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The legendary lineman died at his home in Malibu, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday.

“The Butkus family confirms that football and entertainment legend Dick Butkus died peacefully in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California,” his family said in a statement released by the Bears. “The Butkus family gathers with Dick’s wife Helen. They appreciate your prayers and support.”

Butkus is survived by his wife Helen and three children, Ricky, Matt and Nikki.

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