Jack Butler (football player)
| Jack Butler | |
|---|---|
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Position (s): Defensive Back |
Jersey number (s): 80 |
| born November 12, 1927 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania | |
| died on May 11, 2013 , ibid | |
| Career information | |
| Active : 1951 - 1959 | |
| Undrafted in 1951 | |
| College : St. Bonaventure University | |
| Teams | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Interceptions | 52 |
| the resulting gain in space | 827 yards |
| Touchdowns | 5 |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Pro Football Hall of Fame | |
John "Jack" Bradshaw Butler (* 12. November 1927 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania ; † 11. May 2013 ) was an American American football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers .
Player career
Jack Butler first studied at a seminary in Canada , but then decided to take up college at St. Bonaventure University . Until he was on the football team there, he had never played organized American football. The sports director of the college football team was the brother of Art Rooney , the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and knew Butler from Pittsburgh, where he had played on clay courts with playmates. He asked him to participate in the college team's training operations. Butler was accepted into the football team of his college and played there for four years, both in the offense as end , and in defense as defensive back . His team was not among the top teams in the NCAA during his student days and stopped playing in 1951. It was thanks to his acquaintance with the Rooney family that Butler was able to sign a professional contract with the Steelers without having been drawn in an NFL draft . In defense of the Steelers, John Butler became partner of the future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Jim Finks . But he did not succeed in winning the championship.
During the 1957 season Butler was able to achieve 10 interceptions , which was an NFL annual high. Butler played for the team from Pittsburgh until 1959 and had to end his career after 103 games for the Steelers due to a knee injury. The long-term consequences of this knee injury led to another staphylococcal infection in 2012 , from which Butler died in May 2013 at the age of 85. During his playing days, he earned a reputation for being an extremely tough player.
Coaching career
John Butler's coaching career was short. Only in 1960 did he work as an assistant coach at the Buffalo Bills . Immediately after his playing career, however, the physical wear and tear caused by professional sport made itself felt in him. This also led to the termination of his coaching career before the season. From 1961 to 2007 Jack Butler was a scout in the NFL. Jack Butler was instrumental in setting up the NFL's scouting system. He was married and had eight children. He found his final resting place in his hometown at Calvary Cemetery .
Honors
Jack Butler played four times in the Pro Bowl , the final game of the best players of the season. He was elected All-Pro four times and is a member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and the Saint Bonaventure University Hall of Fame . In 2009 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from his college . In 2012, Butler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Obituary
- Jump up ↑ Jack Butler's engagement
- ↑ career as a scout; family
- ↑ Jack Butler in the Find a Grave database
- ↑ Jack Butler was awarded an honorary doctorate
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Butler, Jack |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Butler, John Bradshaw |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American Football Player, Scout (Sports) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 12, 1927 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 11th, 2013 |
| Place of death | Pittsburgh |