Josh Butler, an American professional football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, led his team to a win over the Washington Commanders on November 26, 2024.
His football journey is inspiring and deeply rooted in his parent’s support.
Highlights
- Josh Butler lost his parents while attending Michigan State University and grew up with his brother, Akilian.
- His father passed away due to a heart attack or stroke in November 2017, and his mother died due to breast cancer 18 months later.
- His adopted two dogs, a boxer and a red-nosed bulldog mix, helped him cope with his grief.
Josh Butler started as a cornerback during his final two years at West Mesquite High School, and Rivals.com ranked him as the 26th-best cornerback.
He attended Michigan State but redshirted as a freshman in 2016. As a sophomore in 2017, he played four games and collected 12 tackles.
Josh played for the Conquers of the developmental Spring League in 2021.
Later, on March 22, 2023, he joined the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League and played 11 games, tallying 35 tackles and 4 passes defended.
He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as their preseason roster on July 25, 2023, and collected 9 tackles defending 2 passes in the final preseason game.
On January 15, 2024, he signed a future contract with the Cowboys but was waived on August 27, 2024.
However, on November 18, the Cowboys re-signed him to the practice squad and promoted him to the active roster.
Josh Butler’s Journey With His Parent’s Guidance
Josh Butler, the son of Steven Butler and Ladrida Bagley, was born on November 25, 1996, in Dallas, Texas. He lost both his parents during his time at Michigan State.
He grew up with his younger brother, Akilian, 27, who plays as a senior wide receiver at Boise State University.
BroBro and Big Riq came down for a business trip and left it all out there🏈Make sure y’all tune into @CWAllAmerican to see @JoshButlerTv on the screen!!🐐. Ironically we performed in these numbers. Last time we had these numbers on we was raising Head Coaches blood pressure 😂🤟🏾 pic.twitter.com/WebhUwHtZk
— Akilian Butler (@_Akilian) January 19, 2021
Steven and Ladrida played a significant role in his development as an athlete and encouraged him to pursue his dream despite the family’s challenges.
Tragically, Steven passed away due to either a heart attack or a stroke in November 2017, and Ladrida died due to breast cancer 18 months later. Losing them has strengthened him as a leader.
Definitely been a blessed journey since taking the greyhound bus as a kid all the way up to Michigan State, being able to prevail through losing my father in 2017, and seeing my mother pass away in my arms just this April from cancer; it has strengthened me as a person, man of God, and leader.
Josh Butler
Josh always feels his parents’ presence and wears his father’s crematory tag around his neck. Similarly, he has inked the tattoo of a pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness.
His chest tattoo is a Bible verse,
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid.”
He keeps their memory alive meaningfully and honors his parents by helping the next person, being light to somebody who may need it.
Although the Dallas Cowboys cornerback lost his parents, their support and guidance left a lasting impact on him.
At the end of the day, you just have to remember the impact they have had on my life, what they have taught me and how I will keep that as long as I live. Just knowing they are in a better place now and you still have to live your life as well.
Josh Butler has mentioned.
Josh Butler’s Adopted Dogs Helped Him Cope With His Grief
Cornerback Josh Butler lost his parents before the senior day, but he didn’t walk out alone.
During his senior night, he went viral for walking the field with his two dogs, Roxy and Remi, honoring his parent’s memory.
Josh Butler, in Spartan Stadium for the last time. pic.twitter.com/WE18LkBcl4
— David Harns (@DavidHarns) November 30, 2019
Josh brought his adopted dogs to the event at Spartan Stadium, which typically features seniors emerging from a tunnel with family members for their final college game.
It made perfect sense to have his adopted two dogs, a boxer and a red-nosed bulldog mix, on the field with him before the game against Maryland.
Since the passing of my mother and father… having the ability to walk with Roxy and Remi was very important to me.
Josh Butler told CBS News.
They mean the world to me and they have always been there for me through my ups and downs.
Josh was happy to be out in the stadium with his dogs. They have become a massive part of his life, and he often posts videos of them playing on social media.
Moreover, he has created an Instagram account for his dogs, garnering over 682K followers. He regularly updates his fans about his dogs’ activities through it.
Josh calls them intelligent, and Remi has an excellent tackle form.
Additional Information
- Josh Butler earned his bachelor’s degree in media and information in December 2018 and pursued a master’s in the same field.
- He had a pretty good day in week 12, credited with a team-high 12 tackles against the Washington Commanders.
- The cornerback only played seven games and missed several due to an injury during his senior season in 2018.
- He began his acting career in 2021 by starring in the television series All American and released his first music album, The Motive, in 2022.
