What the sports world is saying — in Tweets, quotes and statements — about Gale Sayers after his death Wednesday at age 77:
Former Bears linebacker Dick Butkus
“[We] will miss a great friend who helped me become the player I became because after practicing and scrimmaging against Gale I knew I could play against anybody. We lost one of the best Bears ever, and more importantly we lost a great person.”
Bears chairman George McCaskey
“Football fans know well Gale’s many accomplishments on the field: a rare combination of speed and power as the game’s most electrifying runner, a dangerous kick returner, his comeback from a serious knee injury to lead the league in rushing, and becoming the youngest player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.