View source for Greg Buttle

{{Infobox NFL biography
| position    = [[Linebacker]]
| number      = 51
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1954|6|20}}
| birth_place = [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lbs  = 235
| draftyear   = 1976
| draftround  = 3
| draftpick   = 67
| high_school = [[Mainland Regional High School|Mainland Regional]] {{nowrap|([[Linwood, New Jersey]])}}
| college     = [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]]
| teams       =
* [[New York Jets]] ([[1976 NFL season|1976]]–[[1984 NFL season|1984]])
| statlabel1  = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue1  = 9.5
| statlabel2  = [[Interceptions]]
| statvalue2  = 15
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 1
| highlights  =
*All-Time NY Jets Team [[https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-all-time-team-members-honored-to-be-part-of-nfl-100-festivities#:~:text=Best%20Images%20of%20the%20Jets%20NFL%20100,of%20being%20on%20the%20Jets%20all%2Dtime%20team.]]
*NFL All-Pro AFC Topps Selection 1980 [[https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/3231/cid/814770/1980-Topps-340-Greg-Buttle]]
*NFL All-Pro Team SI Selection 1979 [[https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/12/24/the-gospel-according-to-paul-weighing-traditional-all-pro-lists-and-finding-them-wanting-the-author-proclaims-his-own-picks-for-1979]]
* NFL [[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team|PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team#1976|1976]])
* NCAA Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]])
* NCAA 2× First-team All-East ([[1974 All-East football team|1974]], [[1975 All-East football team|1975]])
}}
'''Gregory Ellis Buttle''' (born June 20, 1954) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[linebacker]] for the [[New York Jets]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State Nittany Lions]], earning consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] honors in 1975. In 2005, he was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.nassausports.org/sports-awards/pages/hall-of-fame Nassau County Sports Commission] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204005021/http://www.nassausports.org/sports-awards/pages/hall-of-fame/ |date=2009-02-04 }}, New York.</ref>

==Early life==
Buttle grew up in [[Linwood, New Jersey]],<ref>Eskenazi, Gerald. [https://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0C13FD395D0C748EDDAE0894DA484D81 "BUTTLE, SCHROY QUIT AS JETS' UNION CHIEFS"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', July 27, 1982. Accessed November 29, 2007. "'Right now I'm the player rep, but I'm not the player rep,' he said by telephone from his parents' home in Linwood, N.J."</ref> and attended [[Mainland Regional High School (New Jersey)|Mainland Regional High School]] in Linwood. Buttle was a 4-sport letterman in [[American football|football]], [[basketball]], [[baseball]] and [[track and field]], and was also a champion [[Watercraft rowing|oarsman]] while on the [[Margate City, New Jersey|Margate City]] Beach Patrol, as well as participating in musical theatre. He is a member of the Ocean Rowing Hall of Fame.{{citation needed|reason=please give a reliable source for this assertion.|date=April 2009}}

==Penn State==
A 1975 consensus All-American, Buttle was also the captain of the [[Nittany Lions]] that year. Considered by Penn State coach [[Joe Paterno]] "as fine a linebacker as any prospect produced by this school,"<ref>[http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/all_time/player/119-greg-buttle New York Jets profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218174943/http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/all_time/player/119-greg-buttle |date=2009-02-18 }}</ref> he still holds the school records for tackles in a game (24), and season (165). He stood atop the Penn State career tackles list for over 30 years, until [[Paul Posluszny]] surpassed his mark of 343 versus [[University of Wisconsin–Madison|Wisconsin]] on November 4, 2006. In 2000 Buttle was honored with the Butkus Silver Anniversary Award,<ref>[http://www.imakenews.com/orcc/e_article000201996.cfm?x=b11,0,w Florida Chamber of Commerce], Butkus Award, November 17, 2003</ref> which honors the top college linebacker from 25 years ago. He has been named a Penn State All-Time NFL Player.<ref>[http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/psu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/NFLPlayers_2008Records.pdf NFL Players 2008 Records] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112404/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/psu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/NFLPlayers_2008Records.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}.</ref>

==New York Jets==
Buttle was selected in the 3rd round (#67 overall) of the [[1976 NFL draft]] by the [[New York Jets]] for whom he would play 9 seasons (1976–1984) at starting outside linebacker. With his talent making a quick impression on the Jets, Head Coach, Walt Michaels made Buttle a Captain in only his rookie season.<ref>https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/where-are-they-now-greg-buttle</ref> Buttle was named 1st Team NFL All-Pro at Linebacker for the 1979 season by Sports Ilustrated<ref> https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/12/24/the-gospel-according-to-paul-weighing-traditional-all-pro-lists-and-finding-them-wanting-the-author-proclaims-his-own-picks-for-1979 </ref> and the NY Daily News.<ref> https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FNYKJMG-1980-new-york-jets-media-guide.pdf </ref> He was recognized as AFC All-Pro by Topps Football cards in 1980.<ref> https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/3231/cid/814770/1980-Topps-340-Greg-Buttle </ref> Two interceptions in the Jets' 1981 playoff game against the [[Buffalo Bills]] helped fuel a comeback effort, which ultimately fell short, in the franchise's first playoff game since the 1969 season. The following year, he helped lead a NY Jets Defense to the 1982 AFC Championship game against the Miami Dolphins in muddy conditions where he again notched an interception<ref> https://archive.org/details/jets-1983-media-guide-new-york-c/page/20/mode/2up </ref> and his hit on Miami RB Andra Franklin caused a fumble that was controversially overturned, likely costing the Jets a trip to the Super Bowl.<ref> https://www.ganggreennation.com/2014/11/12/7202723/just-short-of-the-promised-land-the-new-york-jets-and-the-1982-nfl </ref> His football playing career ended in a surprising move when, Buttle was cut in August 1985 by the Jets Head Coach, [[Joe Walton]] who was looking to pass veteran players for a younger squad.<ref> https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/08/19/The-New-York-Jets-continued-a-process-of-ridding/9925493272000/#google_vignette </ref> Notably, Buttle had fellow Penn Stater, [[Ralph Baker (linebacker)|Ralph Baker]], as his LB coach for 4 seasons who also once wore #51 as a NY Jet and Buttle was a member of defensive coordinator [[Joe Gardi]]'s Swarm defense which included fellow [[Nittany Lion]] [[Lance Mehl]], as well as the famous [[New York Sack Exchange]] defensive line. In 2018, Buttle was named to the All-Time NY Jets Team as a LB for their 100th Anniversary.<ref> https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-announce-all-time-team-as-part-of-nfl-100-celebration </ref>

==Broadcasting==
Buttle served as an on-air analyst for [[WCBS-TV]] in [[New York City]], alongside play-by-play man [[Ian Eagle]], for Jets preseason games, and hosts ''Jets Gameday'' on the Jets Radio Network and [[WEPN-FM|ESPN New York]] alongside [[Don La Greca]]. He also serves as an analyst on the [[SportsNet New York|SNY]] studio show ''Jets Nation''. He was the temporary fill-in host on WABC radio in NYC, in the 10:00 AM – noon slot, until Geraldo Rivera took the chair permanently on Jan. 3, 2012. On August 7, 2018, it was announced that Buttle would no longer work alongside Eagle for Jets preseason games, having been replaced by former Jets tight end Anthony Becht.

==Personal life==
Buttle has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of his commitment to the community including National Spokesman for the [[United Way of America|United Way]]. He holds a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in general arts and sciences from Penn State University. He lives in [[Northport, New York]] with his wife, Rita, a son and two daughters.

In 1983, Buttle opened a fitness center in [[East Meadow, New York]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/06/nyregion/about-long-island.html|title=About Long Island|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 November 1983|last1=Eskenazi|first1=Gerald}}</ref>

Buttle was famously quoted about his love of football saying, "They pay me to practice. Sunday I play for nothing."<ref>https://vault.si.com/vault/1976/11/22/scorecard</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070208045907/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BUTTLGRE01 Career statistics]}} at databasefootball.com
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100724131713/http://web.sny.tv/announcers/mets_onair.jsp Greg Buttle on the MSG Network and SNY.tv]}}

{{1975 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Jets1976DraftPicks}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buttle, Greg}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:New York Jets players]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players]]
[[Category:New York Jets announcers]]
[[Category:Arena football announcers]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Atlantic City, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Mainland Regional High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:People from Linwood, New Jersey]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Atlantic County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Northport, New York]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Huntington, New York]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Suffolk County, New York]]