The Packers legend joined students at CUW’s Meet & Network event, sharing the story behind the Lambeau Leap and advice for finding their next step.
You might not know much about football, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen it: A Green Bay Packers player scores and leaps straight into the crowd, landing in the arms of cheering fans. LeRoy Butler started it all with a celebration now known as the Lambeau Leap.
On Thursday, Nov. 5, Butler came to Concordia University Wisconsin as the keynote speaker for the Batterman School of Business Meet & Network event, where students connected with more than 30 sport and hospitality organizations from across Wisconsin. Representatives from the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Admirals, Marquette Athletics, ESPN Milwaukee, iHeartMedia and Road America gathered to meet the next generation of industry professionals.
Before Butler took the stage, CUW social media specialist Jason Smith sat down with him to ask whether that famous jump was planned. The answer? Not even close. It was his first touchdown, the crowd was loud and something just told him to jump.
Life lessons beyond the leap
The conversation also offered a look at the experiences that shaped Butler beyond football. He grew up in the projects of Jacksonville, Florida, where his mom raised four kids on her own. He shared why he chose to make Wisconsin home long after his playing days ended and the advice his grandmother gave him that he still lives by: Talk to someone who doesn’t look like you every single day.
On a night built around making connections, that advice hit home. Whether you’re a first-year student, chasing an internship or starting over later in life, Butler’s message was simple: Find what you’re good at. If you’re not sure, ask the people who know you best. And once you make it, reach back and pull someone else up with you.
Hit play below to hear it straight from a legend.
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