Before Vince Lombardi was a statue, or a Hall of Famer, or even a championship-winning head coach, he was a rookie NFL sideline boss and general manager for the Green Bay Packers .

Lombardi drafted defensive back Bill Butler in the 19th round of the 1959 NFL draft — his first — and ostensibly thought he made a mistake soon after. He cut Butler after the second exhibition game of the season.

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Perhaps second guessing himself, Lombardi re-signed Butler one week into the regular season and tried him out at halfback and special teams. Butler, who died Nov. 28 at age 88 , would go on to play six seasons in the NFL as a punt and kick returner — a role hand-picked for him by one of the greatest coaches

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