Green Bay Packers legend LeRoy Butler tackles student hunger at 'Taste of the Draft'
This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Green Bay Packers legend LeRoy Butler about his involvement in Taste of the Draft and youth mentorship in Wisconsin.
Fellow Packers greats will join Butler on Wednesday, April 23rd, from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM CT at Schreiber Food Headquarters, 400 N. Washington Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin. The event will feature musical entertainment, a sleight-of-hand magician, a silent auction, and appearances by Miss America and Miss Wisconsin.
"I'm one of those kids who rely upon strangers to raise money so I can have an amazing meal. Sometimes, when you're in extreme poverty, as I grew up, a school meal is probably your best one," said Butler as the event proceeds to support GENYOUth's commitment to end student hunger and tackle youth food insecurity in Wisconsin. "So, events like this give me hope that kids will one day grow up to be just like me. However, you're in poverty, and you can't afford some of the other food people have, but having an event like this, where two things can be true: you can raise money for a great organization and do some of the great things, and you help people who you don't know that's what's so rewarding. Again, a kid like me—my mom raised five kids by herself—didn't eat breakfast, didn't have breakfast at home, which other kids did, but when we got to school, they had programs like this to go to the cafeteria and eat breakfast."
Top chefs, twenty legendary supper clubs, and Green Bay icons will raise funds for nutrition grants for 90 schools throughout Wisconsin to celebrate the NFL Draft's 90th anniversary.
"A lot of kids don't even eat breakfast. I couldn't afford it, but the other kids who had money could buy hot stuff, like corn dogs or pizza," said Butler, "But for me, it didn't matter because nutrition is essential. So I am overjoyed now; it reminded me of my hero, my mom, when she used to tell us going to school, we don't have time to get in trouble and break the law because you're wasting time because some stranger is donating money to the food pantry or an event like 'Taste of the Draft.'"
The 2022 Pro Football Hall of Famer, who played 12 seasons with the Packers, understands the importance of giving back to the Wisconsin community and connecting with the many children who lack resources.
"It means a lot to me. I get very emotional about it, so being a part of it is almost like paying respect back to some of the young men and women who are out there all the time helping and just to let them know as well." said Butler, "Yes, you're a Hall of Famer, but I didn't think he was in poverty. I didn't know if he got a free lunch like me. I didn't think he had a single parent like me. So that's why it's very important for me."
GENYOUth will host a Rally for Student Health and Well-being at Valley View Elementary School, located at 2200 True Lane, Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, April 22nd, at 9:00 AM CT. The rally will unveil our new, state-of-the-art school meal equipment, increasing access to healthy nutrition. An NFL FLAG-In-School Kit Unboxing and Flag Football Clinic will also be held. Please visit this link to RSVP for the event.
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USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Quick takeaways from Packers Family Night practice 2025: Valentine continues to impress
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New York Times
4 hours ago
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Packers training camp: The unsung ‘MVP' who intercepted three passes in one practice
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He played eight defensive snaps in a 34-0 win over the Saints and 16 total special teams snaps over Weeks 16 and 18. The Packers' starting safeties appear set in stone — McKinney and Evan Williams — and their next two figure to be Javon Bullard (if he's not playing the nickel) and Zayne Anderson. But Brown is stating a convincing case for 53-man roster inclusion after this year's training camp and the head coach likes what he sees. 'He's done a lot. I mean, he's making plays,' Matt LaFleur said. 'You want to see how guys respond and react when they get those opportunities and he's coming through, so that's really positive … He's definitely a guy we had our eye on coming out in the draft process. We had him in for a 30 visit, so certainly, there was some like there for him. To get him ingrained in our system and to watch him develop, grow, and develop has been pretty exciting. Again, he's making plays.' Brown's first pick of the night came in a red-zone drill with the No. 2 defense. Malik Willis took a snap from the 12-yard line and Brown stared him down from the deep middle of the field. Willis fired into heavy traffic for wide receiver Julian Hicks in the end zone and instead hit Brown. Omar Brown picks off Malik Willis on the goal line. That's the second-year safety's third INT of camp. — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 3, 2025 His second came on a deflection by cornerback Tyron Herring, who broke up a Taylor Elgersma pass for Hicks before the ball fell into Brown's hands behind the play. His third pick was his best, as he ranged over to cover Hicks on a Willis deep ball down the left sideline after Hicks got space on safety Kitan Oladapo. The ball hit off Brown's facemask as he jumped, popped up in the air and he secured it as he fell to the ground. Advertisement 'I don't think the quarterback saw me. I kind of snuck behind him,' Brown said. 'We both went up for it and I just came down with it.' Brown said he's never intercepted three passes in a game, not even in high school, or even had a pick-six. Maybe two picks in a game, he said. He picked a good time to have three, with his mom, grandma and uncle watching from the stands as he tries to secure his first 53-man roster spot in the league. 'He's a stud,' safety Zayne Anderson said of Brown. 'He attacks every day like a true pro. He's always wanting to get better and he's always asking questions, which I think is the first thing and he does his job, which clearly, tonight, he gets those interceptions. He deserves it, man. He works his butt off and it's cool seeing guys in the room — the fruit come from their labor. Everybody in the room is super pumped for him.' That boy can BALL. Omar Brown had 3 interceptions tonight.@emplifybellin — Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 3, 2025 1. Brandon McManus continued his strong start to camp, going 7-for-7 on kicks during team periods at his first Family Night practice. McManus is now 36-for-37 on such kicks through five kicking practices after hitting from 29, 33, 38, 42, 47, 50, 51 and 54 yards on Saturday. His lone miss drifted wide right from 49 yards in a mild wind on Thursday. 'I don't want to jinx anything here,' LaFleur said. 'I'd rather not say too much about him, but he's been pretty consistent.' 2. Tight end Tucker Kraft was the lone new injury. He's dealing with a groin injury, but it doesn't appear to be anything significant. LaFleur said Kraft had been practicing through it and wants to give him a couple days for the issue to subside. Running back Emanuel Wilson left Friday's practice early after suffering a knee injury that looked bad at first, but LaFleur said Saturday, 'It was extremely scary, but I feel like we dodged that one. That is some really good news.' Advertisement Also not practicing Saturday were wide receiver Christian Watson (knee), wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf), wide receiver Sam Brown Jr. (ankle), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee), running back MarShawn Lloyd (groin), cornerback Kamal Hadden (hip), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring), defensive end Arron Mosby (groin), left tackle Rasheed Walker (groin), offensive lineman John Williams (back) and offensive lineman Travis Glover (shoulder). 3. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons showcased his coverage skills in 1-on-1s, with a pass breakup against tight end John FitzPatrick on an in-breaking route and a breakup near the front-left pylon against tight end Luke Musgrave. Simmons has played defensive back before in the NFL, but the Packers are keeping him at linebacker. Remember when De'Vondre Campbell credited the Packers' staff for simplifying his defensive role at linebacker (compared to what he did previously in Atlanta) after he made the All-Pro First Team in 2021? Simmons probably won't be an All-Pro since he's the Packers' fourth linebacker on the depth chart behind Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie, but if anything, he offers intriguing depth on defense in addition to playing a significant role on special teams. Jordan Love sees a lane and takes off for an 18-yard run — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 3, 2025 4. Green Bay's defense had a handful of standout plays during Saturday's practice. It should be noted that, because the entire night was livestreamed, the Packers kept everything 'pretty vanilla,' like they would in a preseason game. However, there were five interceptions, Brown's three, cornerback Kalen King jumping a Willis pass on the sideline intended for Hicks and cornerback Carrington Valentine shutting down a Matthew Golden go route before making a lunging grab on Jordan Love's pass that drifted well ahead of Golden during the starters' two-minute drill (unclear if Valentine simply disrupted Golden's route that much or if Love overthrew the rookie). In the first team period, defensive tackle Kenny Clark snuck past center Elgton Jenkins to stuff running back Josh Jacobs, Cooper blew up a Golden end-around and defensive end Lukas Van Ness bull-rushed left tackle Jordan Morgan to sack Love. Brown had another run stuff of Chris Brooks while coming off the edge in the red zone, while Brooks got caught up behind a scrum. McKinney had the same against Jacobs, and defensive end Brenton Cox shed tight end Johnny Lumpkin for a stuff of running back Izzy Abanikanda in the red zone. 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That's where the Packers placed him last year since they felt it would be his best chance to start, and Morgan rotated with Sean Rhyan until a shoulder injury ended his season after six games. Morgan said this week that he's most comfortable at left tackle and has been playing there his whole life. He might be the Packers' left tackle of the future, assuming Walker walks in free agency next offseason, but is there a chance he's their left tackle of the present, too? 'There's been a lot of good moments and then there's some things we have to clean up,' LaFleur said. 'It's like that for a lot of players, especially young players. What did he play, six games last year? And this has been primarily inside. To get him outside at left tackle, there's going to be some hard lessons along the way, but I love how he's attacked this thing and the work that he put in throughout the course of the offseason has been pretty evident. You can tell by his body. We'll continue to push him to be the best he can be.' (Top photo of Omar Brown: Tork Mason / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Packers GM shares insight on Matthew Golden that highlights exactly why he's poised to make an early impact
Packers GM shares insight on Matthew Golden that highlights exactly why he's poised to make an early impact originally appeared on A to Z Sports. The Green Bay Packers couldn't be more impressed with first-round rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden. Two weeks into training camp, Golden has been consolidating himself as a starter even with strong internal competition, and even in packages with only two receivers on the the Packers took him in the draft, his strong hands were a big calling card. And this is, once again, what has caught the attention of the front office."It's early, but he's been a great pro," general manager Brian Gutekunst told the Family Night broadcast. "His hands have stood out as well." Performance in training camp It's just the beginning of the process, but the Packers have gotten everything they could expect from Golden early on. While there will be a natural rotation with players like Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks, the rookie has established and appeared with the ones more and more throughout usually stays on the bench when the team is in 12 personnel, but Golden has proven he can play outside and do enough to be on the field for the majority of offensive snaps. For a rookie, the first NFL training camp might be a lot. New schemes, the speed of the game. But Matthew Golden is so polished that development has come more naturally."It's starting to slow down for me," Golden said earlier this week, via "It's starting to feel like I can go out there and just play and have fun, not have to think about what I need to do. It's just going out there getting open, knowing my assignment and alignment."The Packers have invested in the wide receiver position through the years, but getting a player so early in the draft shows the willingness to have better results from the get go, both from a floor and ceiling perspective. So far, Golden has shown everything Green Bay wanted and expected to story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
