The third time's the charm. That’s the motto former fourth-round wide receiver Hakeem Butler is embracing as he gets a second chance in the NFL. Friday afternoon the Cincinnati Bengals announced they had reached an agreement to add the former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver to the roster after a standout season in the UFL.
Butler, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Iowa State, had his first stint in the NFL largely marred by injury. Butler suffered a broken hand in his first training camp with the Cardinals, causing him to be placed on injured reserve and miss the entirety of his rookie season. After his second camp with the team, Butler was placed on waivers, eventually signing with the Carolina Panthers practice squad.
It wasn’t until a few weeks later that Butler would sign with the team he’d see his first NFL action with, the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia converted Butler to a tight end, and he saw action in two games for the Eagles in the 2020 season, getting a single target before being waived and signed to the team’s practice squad.
From there it was a stint in the CFL with the BC Lions and Edmonton Elks, before landing in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks. Butler would show out with the Battlehawks in 2023, leading to his second chance in the NFL, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Unfortunately for Butler, injuries would rear their ugly head again, and he was waived in late August of 2023, landing back with the team on their injured reserve, only to ultimately be released again.
Butler went back to the XFL ranks – now called the UFL – and returned to the Battlehawks for another season, one where he would again shine. This past season with St. Louis, Butler would be named the UFL Offensive Player of the Year, leading the league with 652 yards and finishing second in the league with five receiving touchdowns.
Now, Butler looks to finally break into the NFL with an explosive and talented Bengals team. It will be an uphill battle for Butler, but if he can prove his worth, he could wind up being a welcomed piece for a Bengals team who lost wide receiver Tyler Boyd in the offseason to the Tennessee Titans, and may end up losing wide receiver Tee Higgins in the future.
