Butler Did It!

"It is wonderful that a premier safety of the 90's is getting his just reward by entering pro football's sacred chamber, the Hall of Fame. It is well earned due to his passion for the game and his dedication to the Green Bay Packers along with his superb play." - Ron Wolf, Former Packers EVP and GM, 1991-2001

Safety LeRoy Butler, who played 12 seasons (1990-2001) for the Green Bay Packers, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022. He was a member of teams that made the playoffs seven times, reached the NFC Championship Game three times (winning twice) and brought the Packers their first world championship in 29 years.

Butler is the fourth member of Green Bay's Super Bowl XXXI championship team to be voted into Canton, alongside Reggie White (2006), former general manager Ron Wolf (2015) and Brett Favre (2016). The Packers' 28 Hall of Famers rank second among all franchises.

Humble Beginnings

LeRoy (pronounced luh-ROY) Butler was born on July 18, 1968, in Jacksonville, Fla.

After his parents separated, he and his four siblings were raised by their mother Eunice, who worked as a secretary and later as a nurse. The family lived in a small apartment in the crime-ridden Blodgett Homes housing project on Jacksonville's west side.

Butler grew up as a special-needs child who struggled to read for a long time and didn't walk until he was five. He spent most of his childhood in a wheelchair and wearing leg braces. Doctors didn't think he would ever walk normally. By accident, Butler learned that he could walk at the age of ten and soon became the fastest runner in the neighborhood.

He then went on to star at a local Jacksonville High School and at Florida State University.

When asked what leadership means to him, Butler used his late mother Eunice as his shining light.

"It was my mom," said Butler, whose mother passed away in November 2016. "I was a special-needs student. Special education, couldn't read. I told her at eight years old I want to play in the NFL to get her out of the project."

"Leadership is my mom raising five kids and one of them needs a little help. I say football (was) the best for me because I need ten other guys to help me reach my goal. She taught me the next level."

38 Interceptions 20.5 Sacks

LeRoy Butler was the first player in NFL history to record 20 interceptions and 20 sacks in a career.

Butler is one of only four defensive backs in league annals with at least 35 picks and 20 sacks. Hall of Famers Brian Dawkins and Charles Woodson, and five-time semifinalist Ronde Barber, are the other three.

During his third NFL season, Butler moved from cornerback to safety and eventually became the centerpiece of Fritz Shurmur's defense that led the NFL in total yards (259.8 yards per game) and scoring (13.0 points per game) during the Packers' Super Bowl XXXI season.

Hired as defensive coordinator by Mike Holmgren in 1994, Shurmur proved to be the perfect match with Butler. He moved Butler around regularly within his defense, which kept the opposing offense off-balance since it was unclear whether Butler was playing near the line of scrimmage or roaming centerfield. 

Butler could do it all, including the "star" slot cornerback position that's become standard in today's NFL nickel sub-packages with five defensive backs. His 38 career interceptions are tied for fourth most in Packers history, while his 36 INTs in the 1990s ranked sixth in the NFL in that decade. His 20 1/2 sacks were second behind only Carnell Lake (24) for DBs in the 1990s.

To this day, Butler remains the only player in NFL history with at least three sacks and three interceptions in three straight seasons. Butler was named first-team AP All-Pro during each of his final three seasons playing for Shurmur.

"LeRoy was a great player and team leader who I always knew I could count on in any situation." - Mike Holmgren, Former Packers Head Coach, 1992-98

Career Highlights

4x All-Pro Safety

1990s All-Decade Team

Selected to 4 Pro Bowls

12 Forced Fumbles

10 Recovered Fumbles

The Leap

With that single play, one of the greatest traditions in Packers' history was born.

Born Dec. 26, 1993

The Lambeau Leap was born on Dec. 26, 1993, in a game between the Packers and Los Angeles Raiders, but no one understood the significance immediately. It was a brutally cold game at Lambeau Field that featured a gametime temperature of zero degrees and wind chills of minus 22, marking the second-coldest game in stadium history at the time. The Packers also clinched a playoff spot for the first time in ten years, shutting out the Raiders, 28-0.

However, LeRoy Butler's jump into the stands behind the south end zone would become one of the most recognizable moments in Packers' history. It was a play in which Hall of Famer Reggie White played a key role.

Early in the fourth quarter with the Packers ahead, 14-0, Raiders backup quarterback Vince Evans found fullback Randy Jordan on a short pass, but Butler met him with a punishing tackle that jarred the ball loose and right into the arms of White. White started to make a move upfield, running with the ball for ten yards, but as he was getting tackled and twisted out of bounds, he lateraled the football to Butler, who carried it the final 25 yards for his first career touchdown.

As he celebrated the big play touchdown, Butler pumped his arms toward the stands and jumped spontaneously into the crown to celebrate with the first row. Butler said, "As I was running, the crowd was going crazy. They were reaching down and patting the side of the stadium. I jumped up there, and it was the greatest thing. It was so loud. The fans felt as if they were in the game, and it seemed from then on that our fans looked forward to it." With that single play, one of the greatest traditions in Packers' history was born.

Butler at Home in Wisconsin

Since his retirement from the Packers, LeRoy Butler has remained a fixture in the state of Wisconsin. He still lives in the Milwaukee area and provides sports radio commentary locally.

Butler frequently speaks at schools as a part a campaign against bullying called "Butler vs. Bullying." He shares experiences from his childhood, and the teasing he endured for his use of a wheelchair and leg braces.

He is also a regular at Packers alumni functions, and a frequent participant in the Alumni Stadium Tours at Lambeau Field.

Butler is also a proud spokesperson for many products including sausages, vodka and home cooking recipes.

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