In the inaugural season of the UFL, the combination of the former XFL and USFL, former Steelers WR Hakeem Butler was named the Offensive Player of the Year as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks, per a press release by the UFL.
He led the UFL in receiving with 652 yards on 45 receptions for 14.5 per catch. His average per catch also led the league. His five touchdown receptions tied for the second-highest mark in the league.
Butler helped the Battlehawks to the XFL conference lead with a 7-3 overall record, including a 5-1 record in the conference. The Battlehawks will face the San Antonio Brahmas in the conference championships on Sunday. If they win, they will face the winner of the Michigan Panthers and the Birmingham Stallions in the first-ever UFL Championship on June 16.
Butler was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He broke his hand and missed his entire rookie season before the Cardinals waived him at the start of the next season. He bounced on and off some NFL rosters before moving to the Canadian Football League on two different teams.
He ended up getting drafted to the XFL’s Battlehawks in 2023 and was signed to the Steelers’ roster after a season in the XFL with 51 receptions for 599 yards and eight touchdowns. He was with the Steelers for the 2023 offseason from May until he was released in August in the middle of training camp. That led him to his second stint with the Battlehawks in the UFL, where he is now the league’s best offensive player.
In last year’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Butler had one reception for 17 yards. He ended up receiving an injury settlement from the Steelers after being waived/injured.
With the UFL season ending, several NFL teams will be poaching top talent and trying them out at their training camps. The Steelers have done this in the past with the alternate leagues, including with Butler himself. The Steelers have a crowded WR room, but it isn’t exactly loaded with top-end talent. Could they kick the tires on Butler or one of the other UFL receivers sometime before training camp starts?
Along with Hakeem Butler, WR Deon Cain, WR Tyler Vaughns, RB Anthony McFarland Jr., and TE Jace Sternberger are among former Steelers also having nice seasons in the UFL.
