Jerry O'Dell Butler (born October 12, 1957, in Ware Shoals, South Carolina) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 to 1986. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers. He was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft with the fifth overall pick. Butler was a Pro Bowl selection in 1980. In his career, he caught 278 receptions for 4,301 yards and 29 touchdowns.
On September 23, 1979, Butler had 255 receiving yards and 4 touchdown catches (5 yds, 75 yds, 74 yds, 9 yds) in the Bills 46-31 win over the New York Jets in Week 4.
Butler coached wide receivers in 1999 and 2000 for Cleveland, then served as Director of Player Development for the Cleveland Browns until his contract ended in 2011. Butler was the Buffalo Bills- NFL “Man of Year” in 1981 and 1982, honored in 1983 by the Buffalo and Erie County YMCA with the Jackie Robinson Award, and Buffalo Bills Ed Block Courage Award recipient in 1985.
College career
Recruited out of Ware Shoals high school, Jerry Butler played in one game during the 1975 season for the Clemson Tigers. Despite Clemson having a losing record and being at the bottom of the ACC standings, the Tigers did have star players that would go on to the pros. In his sophomore season, Butler was catching passes from quarterback Steve Fuller and was part of a receiving core that included Joey Walters and Dwight Clark. During the 1976 season, Butler caught 33 passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns. However, Clemson still languished in the basement of the ACC, going 0-4-1 in conference play. The next season, Red Parker was out as head coach and Charley Pell was named to replace him. Butler emerged as Fuller's primary target. In his junior season, Butler caught 43 passes for 760 yards and four touchdowns. Clemson improved under Pell, and finally, Butler was part of a winning college football program. In 1978, Butler was part of the Clemson squad that won the ACC championship. However, before the Gator Bowl, head coach Charley Pell bolted to take the Florida head coaching position and assistant Danny Ford took over. Butler caught 4 passes for 44 yards and no scores in the Gator Bowl. However, this game is more remember for the final two minutes of the game more than anything that transpired prior. This was the game in which Tigers linebacker Charlie Baumann intercepted an errant Art Schlichter pass, and later punched by Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes.
During the 1977, Butler was part of one of the infamous games in the Clemson/South Carolina rivalry. clemson needed to beat the Gamecocks, who were 5-5 and eliminated from bowl contention. If South Carolina won, they'd derail Clemson's bid to get into the Gator bowl and have their first Bowl appearance since 1959. Up 24–0, Clemson began to falter, and South Carolina pulled within four points. The score was 24–20 when South Carolina quarterback Ron Bass found Phil Logan on a 4th and 10 play that results in a 40-yard touchdown strike and a Gamecocks 27–24 lead. After the Clemson drive had brought the Tigers to the Gamecocks 18 yard line, thanks in part to a Fuller to Clark pass, the Tigers tried to run a hurry up play. However, the Gamecocks managed to get pressure on Fuller, causing him to release the pass quicker than he wanted to. Fuller released the awkward pass, which was hauled in by Butler, who'd make a twisting leap for the ball. He caught the ball and raced in for the score, securing what would be a 31–27 win over South Carolina. The play would go down in Clemson/South Carolina lore as "The Catch".