Butkus Award

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Butkus Award
Awarded forGiven to the best linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football
CountryUnited States
Presented byDowntown Athletic Club of Orlando (1985–2007)
Butkus Foundation (2008–present)
History
First award1985
Most recentPage Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.
Websitehttp://www.thebutkusaward.com/

The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football. The award, named in honor of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, is presented by the Butkus Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports a number of health and wellness activities including the "I Play Clean" anti-steroid program. The award was first established by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, which relinquished control of the award in 2008 following a lawsuit by Butkus.[1]

Traditionally, the award was given only to the top collegiate linebacker. The Butkus Award was expanded in 2008 to include high school and professional winners[2] as part of a makeover by the Butkus family to help end anabolic steroid abuse among young athletes. Three players have won both the high school and collegiate Butkus Awards: Notre Dame linebackers Manti Te'o (2008, 2012) and Jaylon Smith (2012, 2015) and also Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean (2018, 2021). Five players have won both the collegiate and professional Butkus Awards: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (2006, 2009), Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller (2010, 2012), Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly (2011, 2014, 2015, 2017), Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (2017, 2022, 2023), and Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (2022, 2025).

Recipients

Collegiate winners

Year Player School Ref.
1985 Script error: No such module "Sort". Oklahoma
1986 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Oklahoma (2)
1987 Script error: No such module "Sort". Florida State
1988 Script error: No such module "Sort". Alabama
1989 Script error: No such module "Sort". Michigan State
1990 Script error: No such module "Sort". Colorado
1991 Script error: No such module "Sort". Michigan
1992 Script error: No such module "Sort". Florida State (2)
1993 Script error: No such module "Sort". Nebraska
1994 Script error: No such module "Sort". Illinois
1995 Script error: No such module "Sort". Illinois (2)
1996 Script error: No such module "Sort". Colorado (2)
1997 Script error: No such module "Sort". Ohio State
1998 Script error: No such module "Sort". USC
1999 Script error: No such module "Sort". Penn State
2000 Script error: No such module "Sort". Miami (FL)
2001 Script error: No such module "Sort". Oklahoma (3)
2002 Script error: No such module "Sort". Maryland
2003 Script error: No such module "Sort". Oklahoma (4)
2004 Script error: No such module "Sort". Texas
2005 Script error: No such module "Sort". Penn State (2)
2006 Script error: No such module "Sort". Ole Miss
2007 Script error: No such module "Sort". Ohio State (2)
2008 Script error: No such module "Sort". Wake Forest
2009 Script error: No such module "Sort". Alabama (2)
2010 Script error: No such module "Sort". Texas A&M [3]
2011 Script error: No such module "Sort". Boston College [4]
2012 Script error: No such module "Sort". Notre Dame
2013 Script error: No such module "Sort". Alabama (3) [5]
2014 Script error: No such module "Sort". UCLA [6]
2015 Script error: No such module "Sort". Notre Dame (2) [7]
2016 Script error: No such module "Sort". Alabama (4) [8]
2017 Script error: No such module "Sort". Georgia [9]
2018 Script error: No such module "Sort". LSU [10]
2019 Script error: No such module "Sort". Clemson [11][12]
2020 Script error: No such module "Sort". Notre Dame (3) [13]
2021 Script error: No such module "Sort". Georgia (2) [14]
2022 Script error: No such module "Sort". Iowa [15]
2023 Script error: No such module "Sort". NC State [16]
2024 Script error: No such module "Sort". Georgia (3) [17]
2025 Script error: No such module "Sort". Texas Tech [18]

Professional winners

File:Saints vs Panthers 12.6.15 189.jpg
Luke Kuechly holds the record for most wins by a player with four awards (one in college and three in the pros).
Season Player Team Ref.
2008 Script error: No such module "Sort". Dallas Cowboys [2]
2009 Script error: No such module "Sort". San Francisco 49ers [19]
2010 Script error: No such module "Sort". Green Bay Packers [20]
2011 Script error: No such module "Sort". Baltimore Ravens [20]
Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Dallas Cowboys [20]
2012 Script error: No such module "Sort". Denver Broncos [20]
2013 Script error: No such module "Sort". San Francisco 49ers [20]
2014 Script error: No such module "Sort". Carolina Panthers [21]
2015 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Carolina Panthers
2016 Script error: No such module "Sort". Oakland Raiders [22]
2017 Script error: No such module "Sort". (3) Carolina Panthers [20]
2018 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Chicago Bears [23]
2019 Script error: No such module "Sort". Arizona Cardinals [20]
2020 Script error: No such module "Sort". Pittsburgh Steelers [20]
2021 Script error: No such module "Sort". Dallas Cowboys [20]
2022 Script error: No such module "Sort". Baltimore Ravens [20]
2023 Script error: No such module "Sort". (2) Baltimore Ravens
2024 Script error: No such module "Sort". Philadelphia Eagles [20]
2025 Script error: No such module "Sort". Detroit Lions [20]

High school winners

Year Player School
2008 Manti Teʻo Punahou
(Honolulu, HI)
2009 Jordan Hicks Lakota West
(West Chester, OH)
2010 Tony Steward Pedro Menendez
(St. Augustine, FL)
2011 Noor Davis Leesburg
(Leesburg, FL)
2012 Jaylon Smith Bishop Luers
(Fort Wayne, IN)
2013 Raekwon McMillan Liberty County
(Hinesville, GA)
2014 Malik Jefferson Ralph H. Poteet
(Mesquite, TX)
2015 Caleb Kelly Clovis West
(Fresno, CA)
2016 Dylan Moses IMG
(Bradenton, FL)
2017 Solomon Tuliaupupu Mater Dei
(Santa Ana, CA)
2018 Nakobe Dean Horn Lake
(Horn Lake, MS)
2019 Justin Flowe Upland
(Upland, CA)
2020 Prince Kollie David Crockett
(Jonesborough, TN)
2021 Shawn Murphy[24] Unity Reed
(Manassas, VA)
2022 Drayk Bowen Andrean
(Merrillville, IN)
2023 Sammy Brown Jefferson
(Jefferson, GA)
2024 Christian Jones Westside
(Omaha, NE)
2025 Tyler Atkinson Grayson
(Loganville, GA)

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Schmadtke, Alan (April 29, 2008). "Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando relinquishes rights to the Dick Butkus Award". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Archer, Todd (January 9, 2009). "Dallas Cowboys' Ware wins Butkus Award". Dallasnews.com: the Dallas Morning News website. Belo Corporation. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Big 12 Sack Leader Miller Receives Butkus Award". 12thman.com. Texas A&M University. December 7, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kuechly Earns Butkus Award". bceagles.com. Boston College. December 4, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Goodbread, Chase (December 8, 2013). "Alabama LB C.J. Mosley wins prestigious Butkus Award". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Goodbread, Chase (December 9, 2014). "UCLA's Eric Kendricks wins Butkus Award". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Skrbina, Paul (December 8, 2015). "Notre Dame's Jaylon Smith named Butkus Award winner". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Potter, Charlie (December 5, 2016). "Alabama LB Reuben Foster named 2016 Butkus Award winner". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Roquan Smith Wins 2017 Butkus Award". georgiadogs.com. University of Georgia. December 3, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bonnette, Michael (December 4, 2018). "Devin White Named 2018 Butkus Award Winner". lsusports.net. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Simmons Wins 2019 Butkus Award". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University. December 8, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lentz, Zach (December 8, 2019). "Simmons Wins 2019 Butkus Award". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Owusu-Koramoah Wins Butkus Award for Nation's Top Linebacker". fightingirish.com. University of Notre Dame. December 21, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Nakobe Dean Wins Butkus Award As Nation's Top Linebacker". georgiadogs.com. University of Georgia. December 5, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Campbell Earns Butkus Award". hawkeyesports.com. University of Iowa. December 8, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Payton Wilson Wins Butkus Award". gopack.com. North Carolina State University. December 6, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Williams, Jonathan (December 11, 2024). "Georgia Linebacker Jalon Walker Wins the Butkus Award". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rodriguez named 2025 winner of the Butkus Award". texastech.com. Texas Tech University. December 5, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  19. ^ OleMissSports.com: Willis Wins Butkus Award As Collegian And Pro Script error: No such module "webarchive".
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Past Winners". www.thebutkusaward.com.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Former BC great Kuechly wins second Butkus Award". Fox Sports. May 12, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Khalil Mack Receives Pro Butkus Award(R)". Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Finley, Patrick (June 4, 2019). "Bears OLB Khalil Mack wins pro Butkus Award". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pascal, Evan (7 December 2021). "Prince William County's Shawn Murphy wins Butkus Award as nation's top prep linebacker". WJLA. Retrieved 4 April 2022.

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