Age: 30 (Nov.
12)
7th
season in pro football & with Steelers
College: St.
Bonaventure
Height: 6’0” Weight: 195
Prelude:
Butler, who
originally intended to study for the priesthood, didn’t play football until
college where he made the team as an end. Undrafted by the NFL, he signed with
the Steelers in 1951 and was shifted to defensive halfback (modern cornerback)
where he intercepted 5 passes as a rookie, one of which he returned for a
touchdown. Butler followed up with 7 in 1952 and 9 in ’53 but he did not gain
his first Pro Bowl selection until 1955 (oddly enough, the only season of his
career in which he had no interceptions). He received first-team All-NFL honors
from The Sporting News, second-team recognition from the Associated Press and
NEA, and was a Pro Bowl selection again in ’56, when he picked off 6 passes to
give him a total of 31 through his first six seasons.
1957 Season Summary
Appeared in all
12 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Interceptions
– 10 [1, tied with Jack Christiansen & Milt Davis]
Int. return
yards – 85 [10]
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 1
Punt Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 10
TDs – 0
Awards &
Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News, Sporting News
Pro Bowl
Steelers went
6-6 to finish third in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in
fewest yards allowed (2791).
Aftermath:
Butler was a
consensus first-team All-NFL selection in 1958 and ’59, when his career came to
a sudden end late in the season due to a knee injury. An outstanding
all-around athlete who played safety as well as defensive halfback throughout
his career, he combined excellent instincts with rugged tackling ability. Overall,
over the course of 103 games Butler intercepted 52 passes, which ranked second
in NFL history at the time, returning them for 877 yards and four touchdowns. He
also recovered 10 fumbles, one of which he returned for a TD. Butler was a
consensus first-team All-NFL selection three times, received second-team honors
after one other season, and was chosen to four straight Pro Bowls. He was
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2012.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total
Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
