Butler attended Los Angeles High School, where he practiced football and track.
He had 4 touchdowns against San Bernardino Valley College, breaking Kermit Alexander's school record.
As a starting wide receiver, he was second on the team with 11 receptions for 166 yards (15.1-yard avg.)
Butler was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the eighth round (222nd overall) of the 1978 NFL draft, to convert him into a defensive back.
[3] In August 1978, he was signed as a free agent by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.