Drafted
with the Bills second number one pick in 1979, 5th overall, out of Clemson,
Jerry Butler gave the Bills an instant game breaking threat. In only his
4th game with the Bills, Butler established a record 255 yards receiving
and scored 4 touchdowns as the Bills beat the N.Y. Jets 46-31. In 1980
Butler was considered one of the best in the NFL and was selected to his
first and only Pro Bowl. He continued to enjoy solid seasons in '81 and
'82. In 1983 Jerry Butler seemed a lock to break Elbert Dubenion's all-time
record for receptions, when misfortune struck. In the 9th game against
the New Orleans Saints, Jerry Butler injured his right knee and would miss
the remainder of the season. The Bills were in first place in the AFC east
at the time of Butler's injury and went on a downhill slide after it, failing
to make the playoffs.
At the end of the '83 season Butler was concerned that his career might be over, "I don't want to go out of the game this way, out the back door. There's some concern. The Good Lord willing, I'll be able to play again." Jerry Butler, due to his knee injury, missed the entire 1984 season.
Butler returned to the team in 1985. Butler was back and the Bills leading receivers from 1984 were traded away as Butler was inserted into the starting line up along with rookie Andre Reed. In his first game back, he caught passes for 41 and 48 yards. It looked as if Butler's future was bright again. He managed to catch 40 passes on a 2-14 team that was hindered by the lack of a first-rate quarterback. In 1986, with the arrival of Jim Kelly, Jerry Butler looked forward to the season. In the first game Butler caught 3 Jim Kelly passes for 70 yards but Bills coach Hank Bullough knew little about formulating an NFL passing game plan and Butler, Kelly and the rest of the Bills offense struggled. On November 3rd, after the 9th game, Hank Bullough was fired and replaced by Marv Levy. Once again, there was reason to beleive that Butler would flourish but in game 11 against the Miami Dolphins, Jerry Butler went up to catch a touchdown pass, came down and shattered his right ankle. Jerry Butler, obviously suffering excrusiating pain, hung onto the pass for a touchdown. It was this toughness that gave Bills fans hope that Butler would return again but after 4 opperations and spending all of 1987 on the injured reserve list, Jerry Butler's NFL career, sadly ended and like Robert James, we were left to ponder, "what might have been."
Jerry Butler is still in the NFL. He is the receivers coach for the Cleveland Browns. If he's coaching anywhere nearly as well as he played, Browns' quarterback Tim Couch will soon have a stable of outstanding receivers to throw to.