Two of the greatest defensive backs in the history of the Green Bay Packers franchise are one step closer to becoming members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Leroy Butler and Charles Woodson were among the 15 Modern Era Player Finalists for the Class of 2021 announced Tuesday night.
For Butler, it’s the second straight year making it to the final fifteen while Woodson made the cut in his first year of eligibility. Both played key roles in the two most recent Super Bowl Championships.
Butler was a second round draft choice out of Florida State in 1990. His career started at cornerback but flourished when he moved to safety. He played 181 games over his 12 year career with the Packers, earning Pro Bowl honors four times and he was also a four time, first team All Pro selection. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1990’s. Incidentally, he’s the only member of that team not inducted into the Hall. Butler was an inspirational leader on the Packer defense that led the league in fewest yards and fewest points allowed in 1996, a season culminated by the 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.
Butler helped revolutionize the safety position by making plays at the back of the defense and at or behind the line of scrimmage. He intercepted 35 passes in his career and also recorded 20.5 sacks.
And on a frigid day after Christmas in 1993, the Packers clinched their first playoff berth in a decade by routing the Los Angeles Raiders 28-0. After Reggie White picked up a fumble and before he stepped out of bounds, he lateraled the ball to Leroy who took it the rest of the way for a touchdown and he didn’t stop in the end zone. Butler ran all the way to the south end zone stands and soared up and over the padded wall into the arms of Packer fans. The Lambeau leap was born.
Charles Woodson had already made his mark before arriving in Green Bay as an unrestricted free agent in 2006. The Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Michigan was the Oakland Raiders number one draft choice in 1998 earning All Pro accolades there. It was a somewhat surprising when General Manager Ted Thompson signed Woodson after he was released by the Raiders but Charles said Green Bay was the only team that showed serious interest. His relationship with second year Head Coach Mike McCarthy got off to a rocky start but it didn’t take long for the rest of the team to see how professionally Woodson prepared to play and conducted himself in the locker room and off the field.
That’s when big plays started coming. He played and 100 games for the Packers through 2012, getting named to the Pro Bowl four straight seasons. He intercepted 38 passes, returning nine of them for touchdowns. He also scored on a fumble return giving him franchise records for both pick sixes and defensive touchdowns. In 2009, Woodson was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“Sir Charles” was the unquestioned leader of the Packer defense that held off the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to capture the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLV. Playing the game all out, Woodson could only watch the finish as he dislocated his shoulder making a diving pass break up in the end zone earlier.
Woodson played two more seasons before the Packers let his contract expire and he finished his career where it started, getting in three more years with the Raiders.
If both are elected the Saturday before this season’s Super Bowl, it will give the Packers 28 members of the Hall, second only to the Chicago Bears with 30.
The other 13 Modern Era finalists include 5 more first time finalists with three of those in their first year of eligibility. Those three are Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson and Jared Allen. Ronde Barber and Clay Matthews Jr, the father of former Packers linebacker Clay Matthews are the other new finalists.
They join Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Tory Holt, John Lynch, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Zach Thomas and Reggie Wayne on the list of players who could find themselves donning a gold jacket and standing next to their bust at the enshrinement ceremony in August.
