He helped revolutionize the safety position as a key member of the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl winning defense in the 1990’s. He was the starting safety on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 90’s. Three times a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and now, finally, LeRoy Butler has made the cut to the 15 Modern Era finalists.
The Hall announced it’s list of finalists on Thursday and Butler is one of seven players in the elite group for the first time.
Drafted in the second round of the 1990 draft as an undersized cornerback from Florida State, Butler was moved to safety when Mike Holmgren arrived in 1992 and he flourished under defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur when he joined the staff two years later. Butler was a big part of the Pack’s top ranked defense that won Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans. He had big play making ability deep in coverage and was among the first safeties to be utilized as an extra run support player and blitzer.
Butler was a consensus All-Pro four times in his career, tied for second most in franchise history and he was also the player who created the now famous “Lambeau Leap” by jumping into the stands after scoring on a fumble return against the Los Angeles Raiders in December of 1993 when the Pack clinched their first playoff appearance in 11 years. Butler had 38 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns in his Green Bay career.
He joins six other Modern Era players as first-time finalists along with Tory Holt, Sam Mills, Zach Thomas, Bryant Young and two first year eligible candidates Troy Polamalu and Reggie Wayne.
Returning as finalists are two more contemporaries of Butler at the safety position, Steve Atwater and John Lynch, along with Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson, Issac Bruce, Richard Seymour and Edgerrin James.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee will discuss the candidates and elect no more than five into the Class of 2020 in Canton the day before the Super Bowl.
