FSU football: 15 greatest NFL careers ever by former Seminoles

FSU football greatest NFL career No. 5: LeRoy Butler

A high school stud from Jacksonville, LeRoy Butler was a pretty great safety at Florida State in the late 80’s before getting his chance at the NFL. Suffice it to say, he took full advantage of that opportunity.

Butler was the 48th pick of the 1990 NFL Draft and spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Green Bay Packers. Though a reserve as a rookie, he’d spent much of the next decade as the Packers’ starting strong safety, including during Mike Holmgren’s entire tenure as head coach.

Butler had four different seasons with at least 5 interceptions and was also named First Team All-Pro four times, getting the honors in 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998. His peak coincided with the Packers’ success, as he played in a pair of Super Bowls while in Green Bay.

He started 14 playoff games with the Packers and was a starter on the team that won Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots, getting a sack of Drew Bledsoe in that victory. At his best, he was one of the best secondary pieces in the 1990s.

Butler was recently elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honor for one of the finest safeties to ever play for the Packers or at Florida State. He was a major weapon on Green Bay’s electric defense in the 90s and was one of the many impressive defensive players to come out of Tallahassee and succeed in the NFL.