NFL legend LeRoy Butler talks 'Lambeau Leap' legacy, reveals his cooking passion
NFL legend LeRoy Butler talks 'Lambeau Leap' legacy, reveals his cooking passion
This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Green Bay Packers legend LeRoy Butler about his passion for cooking. He revealed his favorite meal and the legacy of the Lambeau Leap.
Butler will be a representative alongside other alums for the Packers at the Taste of the Draft on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM CT at Schreiber Food Headquarters, 400 N. Washington Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin. The event will feature culinary icons Andrew Zimmern, Mark Bucher, and Paul Bartolotta as part of the commitment to end student hunger and tackle youth food insecurity in Wisconsin.
"I'm from the south. I was a special needs kid growing up in special education. So, I love teachers more than anything. I couldn't go outside like the other kids to run, jump, and play, so I stayed inside. When I was inside, I learned how to cook. I didn't know what 'culinary' meant because when you cook all the time down south, you cook, but you develop recipes mentally. It's my best dish, and I have the best mac and cheese ever. I don't want to argue with anybody. I don't want any smoke," said Butler, "This is all me. To the point that NBC chose me to cook for the Packers on Thanksgiving. I was going to do the Turducken. Melissa Stark (asked), are you going to make your mac and cheese? I got to. So when the guys got the Turducken, Josh Jacobs and Jordan Love, say hey man, there goes some mac and cheese."
The Lambeau Leap touchdown celebration was popularized after Butler jumped into the Lambeau Field bleachers after scoring a touchdown from scooping a fumble recovery against the Los Angeles Raiders on December 26th, 1993. The tradition continues today as Butler shares his thoughts on the legacy with today's Packers players.
"I'm okay with them doing it. I am because the fans love it. I think it's the best celebration because it's with the fans. It's not me doing some weird dance. Our fan base, remember, they're also our shareholders. So once you score and don't do it, they won't boo you, but they're disappointed because it is an intimidating factor when you do it there." said Butler. "But I will say this, and I said this about 15 years ago now. Guys, know that if teams score in Lambeau, they will do it to get back at you. The best way to do that is to prevent them from scoring. That's the best way to do it because that's how you mock any celebration. If I get a pick six or a point return or something, they're going to do it, so it puts the defense under a lot of pressure not to let them score, which is good because they shouldn't score, hold them to field goals, but it's just an awesome celebration."
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