Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers believes both Charles Woodson and LeRoy Butler should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class.
Woodson and Butler, two long-time defensive backs for the Packers, are among the 25 semi-finalists in 2021.
Asked about the pair on Wednesday, Rodgers stated a strong case for each, starting with Woodson, who played seven years with Rodgers in Green Bay and helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV.
“I think he’s the most talented guy I’ve ever played with,” Rodgers said. “His ability to impact the game was unbelievable. And he, for sure, made me a better player going against him every day in practice. The most savvy defensive player that I’ve ever seen on the field. Incredible ability to diagnose routes in real-time. Fantastic at his disguise. He’s a guy who had over 50 interceptions, over 20 sacks. Did it all. From Heisman to Rookie of the Year to NFL Defensive Player of the Year, won a championship, was a huge part of what we did in 2010 and became a fantastic leader in the locker room. He had five interceptions in his rookie season and five in his 18th year. That is unbelievable, unbelievable. A good friend, but just a fantastic player.”
Rodgers has previously stated that Woodson was the greatest defensive player he’s ever faced.
A two-time All-Pro while with the Packers from 2006 to 2012, Woodson produced 38 interceptions, 10 defensive touchdowns, 15 forced fumbles and 11.5 sacks while playing 100 games over seven seasons in Green Bay.
He retired after the 2015 season with 65 interceptions, 13 defensive touchdowns, 33 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries, 20 sacks and 54 tackles for losses. He made nine Pro Bowl teams and was a three-time first-team All-Pro.
There’s a good chance Woodson will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in this year’s class.
Butler, another versatile and dominant defensive back, has patiently waited his turn.
And Rodgers believes now is the time to get him to Canton.
“I was a big fan of his. I do believe he’s a Hall of Famer,” Rodgers said. “I talked about in some interviews on Tuesday on what I thought was the standard to get in, and I think it’s being in the top three to five at your position for an extended period of time. And LeRoy was. Which was evidenced by being a first-team All-Decade selection of the 90s. The 90s was a great time for the NFL. I think it was a time when the NFL popularity took off…A lot of great players during that time. And I believe 21 of the 22 players from that first-team All-Decade from the 90s are in the Hall of Fame. And the one missing is 36 for the Packers. This is the year he deserves to get in. It’d be awesome for him to get in with Charles. Looking at some stats, over 35 interceptions and over 15 sacks, which hadn’t been done by any player in his era. The numbers speak for themselves. It’d be great to see him get in.”
As Rodgers mentioned, Butler is the only member of the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade First Team not in the Hall of Fame. A four-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, Butler not only won Super Bowl XXXI and helped invent the Lambeau Leap, but he also became the first defensive back ever with 20 career sacks and 20 career interceptions.
Butler, who finished his career with 20.5 sacks and 38 interceptions, has been a semi-finalist four times and was a first-time finalist last year.
The next step of the selection process is narrowing down the list from 25 semi-finalists to 15 finalists. The players eventually selected will be enshrined on Aug. 8, 2021, in Canton.
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