Dick Butkus, one of the greatest linebackers in history, personally presented University of Alabama senior Reuben Foster with the 2016 Butkus Award on Sunday night at the Crimson Tide's annual football banquet at the Birmingham Sheraton.

"Just talk(ed) to Dick Butkus, wish I wasn't scared to say what I really wanted to say," Foster posted on his Twitter account.

He also quoted Butkus in a Twitter post: "I request that the athlete honored here does not flinch from the American tradition of giving back."

Foster joins past UA linebackers Derrick Thomas (1988), Rolando McClain (2009) and C.J. Mosley (2013) in winning the honor. Alabama joins Oklahoma in having four winners of the bronze trophy.

Foster beat out Zach Cunningham of Vanderbilt, Jarred Davis of Florida, Kendall Beckwith of LSU and Josey Hamilton of Iowa. Fellow UA players Ryan Anderson and Shaun Dion Hamilton received write-in votes.

Foster leads Alabama in tackles with 94, including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Butkus, who starred with the Chicago Bears and at the University of Illinois, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

The award recognizes linebackers at the collegiate, high school and professional level and serves to spread Butkus' "I Play Clean" initiative, which encourages teens to eat well, train hard and play with attitude instead of resorting to performance-enhancing drugs.