Butler named Hall of Fame finalist for 2022 class

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LeRoy Butler

MILWAUKEE - Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler is one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2022 class named Thursday, Dec. 30.

This marks Butler's third consecutive year as a finalist for induction. It was his fifth consecutive year as a semifinalist.

Butler played all 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Packers. During that time, he was a central cog in the Super Bowl XXXI championship defense and was named a four-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler.

Famously, Butler became the first player to jump into the Lambeau Field stands after he scored a touchdown – inventing the now-famous "Lambeau Leap" in the process.

The former defensive back is also a member of the NFL's All-Decade team of the 1990s and is an inductee to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

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DeMarcus Ware, Andre Johnson and Devin Hester, all in their first year of eligibility, are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2022, too.

The other modern-day players who will be considered on Jan. 18 by the selection committee include cornerback Ronde Barber, wide receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Tony Boselli, linebackers Sam Mills, Zach Thomas and Patrick Willis, and defensive linemen Jared Allen, Richard Seymour and Bryant Young.

A maximum of five modern-day players can be elected for enshrinement in August to the Canton, Ohio, hall. The inductees will be announced on Feb. 10 at NFL Honors, the prime-time TV program during which The Associated Press reveals its individual award winners for the 2021 season.

Three others – Dick Vermeil in the coaching category, Art McNally as a contributor, and Cliff Branch as a senior player – also are candidates for the class of 2022. Voting on each of those three will be held individually.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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