Kevin Butler

First kicker in College Football Hall of Fame, Bears all-time leading scorer until 2015.

Kevin Gregory Butler (born July 24, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and then played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears (1985–1995) and the Arizona Cardinals (1996–1997). Since retiring, he has continued his affiliation with the University of Georgia as a special teams assistant and the cohost of the Budweiser Fifth Quarter Show on 106.1 WNGC and 960 WRFC in Athens. He is the first kicker ever inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Quick Facts

Position: Placekicker
Born: 24 July 1962
Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
High school: Redan (Stone Mountain, Georgia)
College: Georgia
Draft round: 4
Draft pick: 105
Draft year: 1985

Lore & Background

Butler was born in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where he played football and soccer. During his senior year, he kicked a 44-yard field goal to win the state championship, which led to a conversation with Georgia head coach Vince Dooley. At the University of Georgia, Butler was a two-time All-American and four-time All-SEC player.

He kicked a school-record 60-yard field goal to beat Clemson in 1984, set an NCAA record with 27 multiple field-goal games, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December 2001. In his 11 seasons with the Bears, he became the team's all-time leading scorer with 1,116 points, surpassing Walter Payton's record. He was part of the 1985 Super Bowl XX championship team and set a rookie scoring record with 144 points. Upon his release after the 1995 season, he was the last remaining holdover from the Super Bowl XX team. He finished his NFL career with 1,208 total points.

Reader's Guide

Butler played for the Chicago Bears from 1985 to 1995 and the Arizona Cardinals from 1996 to 1997. He kicked 31 field goals and all 51 extra point attempts as a rookie, and kicked three field goals in Super Bowl XX. His rookie scoring record stood until 2014. He was released by the Bears after the 1995 season. After retiring, he worked for UgMo Technologies and later returned to the University of Georgia to complete his undergraduate degree, graduating in May 2018. He served as an undergraduate assistant for the Bulldogs in 2016 and 2017.