Some NFL traditions feel artificial. The Lambeau Leap never did. It feels raw, nostalgic, and purely Green Bay, which is truly why it still matters more than 30 years later. Long before TD celebrations became a weekly ritual, one Packers legend followed his instincts and created something that stuck.
That day was Dec. 26, 1993. The Packers were playing the L.A. Raiders at home, under gray winter skies. By the fourth quarter, Green Bay had control—but what happened next stuck around. A quick throw from Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler landed in Randy Jordan's hands. In came Reggie White like a storm. He knocked the ball loose, grabbed it mid-stride, then hurled it sideways as he neared the sideline. Butler caught the toss on the run. From there, nothing blocked his path to the end zone.
Instead of slowing down or celebrating with teammates, Butler kept running. He pointed toward the south end zone crowd, took a leap at the wall, and fans instinctively reached out and pulled him up. The stadium exploded. No one called it anything at the time, but the Lambeau Leap had officially happened.
LeRoy Butler’s Play Gave the Leap Real Meaning
Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler shares his Draft Day story during a stop on the Business of the NFL Draft Tour in Neenah, Wis. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. Representatives from the Packers, Travel Wisconsin, Discover Green Bay, New North, and PMI are on a two-day tour around the state to promote the draft and share ideas with businesses and organizations on how to prepare for the influx of visitors that will be visiting Wisconsin and Green Bay in April 2025.
LeRoy Butler was not just some defensive back who happened to be in the right place at the right time. He was one of the elite and most complete athletes of his time. The veteran spent all 12 seasons of his football tenure with the Green Bay Packers from 1990 to 2001 and became the heart of the Packers’ D-line throughout the 1990s. He finished with 889 tackles, 38 INT, and over 20 sacks, numbers that show his versatility and consistency.
The 1993 season, which introduced the Lambeau Leap, also earned Butler his first AP All-Pro selection, showing that his impact went far beyond that one celebration. Years later, during a 2003 interview, Butler explained that the moment felt completely natural, saying the anticipation of fans waiting at the wall created a rush that even TDs could not match. He said the noise inside Lambeau Field reached a height he never experienced again.
As Green Bay’s success grew, so did the Leap. Back in the mid-nineties, wide receiver Robert Brooks made the Leap a regular thing.
How to Book LeRoy Butler for Events?
Aug 6, 2022; Canton, OH, USA; Enshrinee LeRoy Butler poses with his bust during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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