While eligible for 2018 NFL draft, Butler was not drafted and did not immediately sign with any National Football League (NFL) team. However, after attending mini-camp with the Oakland Raiders in May 2020, he signed with the team on July 30, 2018.[5] He was released during training camp, but spent the 2018 season on the practice roster.[6] After re-signing with the team in January 2019, he was waived on April 30, 2019.[7]
On July 28, 2019, Butler re-signed with the Raiders.[6] He spent time on the team's practice roster again and did not dress in a regular season game. He was not re-signed at the end of the season.
Houston Roughnecks
Butler signed with the Houston Roughnecks on January 19, 2020.[10] He made his professional debut in 2020 with the Roughnecks where he had 46 carries for 221 yards and four touchdowns with another 11 catches for 42 yards and a receiving touchdown. He had his contract terminated when the XFL suspended operations on April 10, 2020.[11]
Butler with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2024
BC Lions (first stint)
With both the CFL and XFL not playing for the rest of 2020, Butler signed a contract with the BC Lions on December 10, 2020.[12] He made his CFL debut in week 1 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on August 6, 2021, where he had eight rush attempts for 24 yards and four catches for 32 yards and a touchdown. He played in 11 regular season games where he had 101 carries for 497 yards and two touchdowns and 39 receptions for 243 yards and one touchdown.[13]
In Butler's 2022 CFL season debut on June 11, 2022, against the Edmonton Elks, he scored four touchdowns, tying Geroy Simon and seven other BC Lions players for the club record for most touchdowns scored in a game.[14] He played in 17 regular season games where he had 210 carries for 1,060 yards and seven touchdowns along with 53 receptions for 384 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 14, 2023.[15]
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
On February 15, 2023, it was announced that Butler had signed a two-year contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.[16] In 2023, he played in 17 regular season games where he recorded 235 carries for 1,116 yards with seven touchdowns and 61 receptions for 527 yards with one touchdown.[17] In the 2024 season, he began the season as the starter, but was eventually replaced by Greg Bell. Butler played in 11 regular season games where he had 110 rush attempts for 522 yards and two touchdowns along with 45 receptions for 372 yards and one receiving touchdown.[17] As a pending free agent, he was released early on January 9, 2025.[18]
BC Lions (second stint)
On the same day as his release from the Tiger-Cats, Butler re-signed with the BC Lions on January 9, 2025.[19]
Personal life
Butler was born in Chicago, Illinois to parents Cornelia William and James Butler Jr.[2][20]
He also runs a YouTube channel, Kicking It With JB.[21]
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