Today in Packers history: Butler moves to safety

Raymond Rivard — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:53:31 +0000

Jan 26, 1997; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Green Bay Packers defensive Leroy Butler (36) and Brian Williams (51) hit New England Patriots tight end Ben Coates (87) as Mike Prior (39) looks on during Super Bowl XXXI at the Superdome. The Packers defeated the Patriots 35-21. Mandatory Credit: US PRESSWIRE

The recent talk of moving cornerback Charles Woodson to safety is not without precedent as we see and remember with this post from the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

For it was 10 years ago on this date that the Packers announced they would be moving LeRoy Butler to safety after he started his career at cornerback.

Though he moved to safety during the early days of his career and the proposal to move Woodson to the position in the twilight of his career are the differences, the Butler move certainly paid dividends for the team. Many feel moving Woodson would also help the team and prolong his career.

Anyway, here is the posting announcing Butler’s move and the reaction by GM Ron Wolf.

LeRoy Butler Moved to Safety

May 8, 1992 - LeRoy Butler, a right cornerback in his first 32 games with the Packers, is switched to strong safety in order to make room for first-round draft choice Terrell Buckley. Butler begins learning his new position at a three-day minicamp. “He’s an interesting guy,” Packers general manager Ron Wolf says. “I think he can play every position in the secondary. He can play both corners. He can play strong safety.” Playing safety isn’t completely foreign to Butler as he manned that position during his first two seasons at Florida State. As a Packer, Butler plays 10 seasons at safety before a broken shoulder blade ends his playing career midway through the 2001 season.

Holmgren, Buckley, Lambeau all covered in Packers history

Raymond Rivard — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:52:07 +0000

Former Packers cornerback Terrell Buckley holds a framed copy of his Florida State jersey.

I’ve gotten a bit behind in our look back at Packers history, courtesy of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, so here’s what has been posted by the HOF website the past couple of days, April 11 and 12

Enjoy …

Cornerback Terrell Buckley Misses

Minicamp for Baseball

April 11, 1994 - Terrell Buckley is absent without leave, and his failure to show up for a three-day minicamp hasn’t gone unnoticed by Packers coach Mike Holmgren. “I’m disappointed,” Holmgren says. “In my talks with Terrell, we talked about that (missing minicamps for baseball). The minicamp, held in Mesa, Ariz. because the team’s indoor practice facility in Green Bay is under construction, is not mandatory. A year earlier, Buckley was fined for missing a mandatory camp while playing minor-league baseball for the Atlanta Braves.

Photo of Mike Holmgren

Curly Lambeau’s Father
Succumbs to Heart Disease

April 12, 1939 - The relatives of Curly Lambeau are attempting to contact the Packers head coach to inform him of the unexpected death of his father, Marcel Lambeau, in Green Bay. The senior Lambeau, a building contractor and former city official, succumbed to heart disease at the age of 62. Survivors include his widow, two other sons, a daughter and three sisters, all of Green Bay, and a brother, Dr. Emil Lambeau, of Bloomington, Ill. Funeral arrangements are being held in abeyance.

Photo of Curly Lambeau

Lombardi Ave » Terrell Buckley

Today in Packers history: Butler moves to safety

Holmgren, Buckley, Lambeau all covered in Packers history