Green Bay Packers: 50 greatest players in franchise history

Greatest players in Green Bay Packers history: 22. LeRoy Butler

When it comes to defensive backs, few were as important to the Packers secondary as LeRoy Butler was. Green Bay took the standout strong safety out of Florida State in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Butler would play his entire 12-year NFL career in Green Bay through 2001.

The Packers would return to glory with Butler in their secondary. Yes, having Brett Favre at quarterback was a big reason for the Packers’ success, but have you ever heard of the Lambeau Leap? Yeah, Butler invented that in 1993 after scoring a defensive touchdown against the Los Angeles Raiders. Packers player still jump into the first row of the stands today because of him.

But Butler was an outstanding player in his own right. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first team All-Pro with the Packers. Butler made his first Pro Bowl in 1993 and then would rattle off three in a row from 1996 to 1998. Green Bay won Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots in 1996, but fell to the Denver Broncos the next year in Super Bowl XXXII in 1997.

But made the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1990s at strong safety. He is in the Packers Hall of Fame. His Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy is an interesting one, but he remains on the outside looking in at Canton. Maybe one day he does get in? In 12 years with the Packers, Butler made 721 tackles, had 168 assists, 38 interceptions for 533 yards and a touchdown, 20.5 quarterback sacks, 13 forced fumbles and 10 fumble recoveries for 76 yards and two touchdowns.