Mario Butler (American football) facts for kids
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Butler with Georgia Tech in 2009
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| No. 31, 39 | |||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | October 20, 1988 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 184 lb (83 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Ponte Vedra (FL) Nease | ||||||
| College: | Georgia Tech | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 2011 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Mario Antoine Butler (born October 20, 1988) is a former American football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). Mario played for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He also played college football at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Mario Butler grew up and went to Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida. His coach, Craig Howard, helped lead his team to a big state championship game. This was in Mario's last year of high school. A famous quarterback named Tim Tebow was also on that team.
During his final year of high school, Mario received many special honors. These honors showed he was a top player:
- He was ranked as the 34th best cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com.
- Scout.com listed him as the 62nd best player in Florida.
- SuperPrep.com ranked him as the 73rd best player in Florida.
- Rivals.com also listed him as the 76th best player in Florida.
- The Orlando Sentinel newspaper included him in their "Top 100" list for Florida.
College Football Career
After high school, Mario Butler earned a football scholarship to the Georgia Institute of Technology. He played for their college team, the Yellow Jackets.
In his second year, called his sophomore year, he became a regular player, known as a starter. He made 41 tackles and caught one interception. The next year, he had 45 tackles and two interceptions.
In his final year of college, his senior year, he made 47 tackles and one interception. Overall, Mario played in 51 games during his college career. He started in 39 of those games. He finished with 136 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 12 pass deflections.
Professional Football Journey
Dallas Cowboys Experience
After the 2011 NFL draft, Mario Butler signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He joined them as an undrafted free agent, meaning no team picked him during the draft. On September 3, the Cowboys released him. But two days later, he was signed to their practice squad. This is a group of players who train with the team but aren't on the main roster.
On January 3, 2012, Mario was moved up to the Cowboys' active roster. This meant he could play in games. However, he was released again on September 22, 2012. He rejoined the practice squad on September 26 but was released from it on October 16.
Time with the Denver Broncos
On October 30, 2012, the Denver Broncos signed Mario Butler to their practice squad. He stayed with them for a while. On August 25, 2013, the Broncos released him.
Playing for the Buffalo Bills
Mario Butler then signed with the Buffalo Bills on November 19, 2013, joining their practice squad. On August 29, 2014, he was placed on the injured reserve list because of an ankle injury. This meant he couldn't play for a while.
In the 2015 season, Mario successfully made the Bills' main team. He played on special teams, which are groups of players used for specific plays like kickoffs. He also played as a backup cornerback. On January 4, 2016, the Bills gave him a contract extension.
However, on September 2, 2016, the Bills released Mario Butler. This happened as teams made their final roster cuts before the season started.
Calgary Stampeders in Canada
On August 15, 2017, Mario Butler signed with the Calgary Stampeders. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was added to their practice roster. But on September 20, he was placed on the retired list.
Personal Life
Mario Butler is the son of Lisa Lockwood and Jeffrey Butler.
