| No. 53 | |||||||||
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1956-05-16)May 16, 1956 (age 69) Anniston, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Lee (Huntsville, Alabama) | ||||||||
| College | Memphis State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1978:2nd round, 36th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||
John Keith Butler (born May 16, 1956) is an American former professionalfootball player and coach in theNational Football League (NFL). He played as alinebacker for 10 years with theSeattle Seahawks. Butler spent 23 years coaching in the NFL, predominantly with thePittsburgh Steelers.
Butler playedcollege football for theMemphis Tigers (University of Memphis since 1994), starting for three years at inside linebacker under head coachRichard Williamson. He had 384 careertackles and seven interceptions, leading the Tigers in tackles during his junior and senior seasons. Butler was named anAP All-American in his senior year and played in theSenior Bowl andBlue–Gray Football Classic.[1]
Butler was the 36th selection in the1978 NFL draft, taken by theSeattle Seahawks in thesecond round. He started 132 of 146 games in his ten-year career, and finished with 813 tackles (ranking second on the Seahawks' all-time tackles list).
Butler began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1990, coaching linebackers and later expanding his role to cover defensive ends and special teams by 1997. He was the architect of a surprise 3-4 defensive scheme which led to Memphis' shocking 1996 upset of the #6Tennessee Volunteers, led by junior quarterbackPeyton Manning. He then moved toArkansas State in 1998 to serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Butler’s professional football coaching debut came as a linebackers coach for the expansionCleveland Browns in 1999. He was the only assistant coach retained after a staff turnover in 2001 and coached the next two seasons underButch Davis, mentoring the expansion club's first ever Pro Bowl selection, linebackerJamir Miller.
Butler moved to thePittsburgh Steelers in2003, serving as linebackers coach. He was instrumental in mentoring the development of the Steelers' renowned linebacking corps. His linebacker experience helped the Steelers consistently lead the NFL in rushing defense, total defense, and sacks between 2004 and 2012.[2] Butler was influential in the development of Pro Bowl linebackersJoey Porter,James Farrior,Lawrence Timmons,LaMarr Woodley, andJames Harrison. Harrison, in particular, improved from an undrafted practice squad linebacker into the NFL Defensive Player of the Year under Butler's tutelage.[1]
During his twelve-year tenure as the Steelers' linebackers coach, Butler was considered the heir-apparent for the defensive coordinator position held by the respectedDick LeBeau.[3] Following LeBeau's resignation, Butler was promoted to Defensive Coordinator on January 13, 2015. The Steelers defense was vastly improved in Butler's first season, increasing their sack total from the prior season 33 to 48, increasing their turnovers from 21 to 30, decreasing their points allowed by 4 per game, and leading the NFL in red zone turnovers.
One of the significant accomplishments during his tenure as Defensive Coordinator was that the Steelers “lead, or tied for the lead, in overall sacks for the last five years under Butler, setting an NFL record in 2020 when they did it a league-high four years in a row.”[4] Butler announced his retirement from coaching on January 22, 2022.[4]
Butler married his wife Janet in 1980 and together they have three adult sons, Blake, Brandon, and Brett. Both Blake and Brandon played college football: Blake played offensive line for the University of Memphis from 2002 until 2006, and Brandon played linebacker/defensive end for the University of Akron from 2003 until 2006, and later at Ashland University during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.