John Butler (C’87)

John distinguished himself on the College football team by making All-Conference as a safety in the Illini-Badger Conference in the 1985 and 1986 seasons. His performance gained the attention of several professional football teams, and he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, making him the first Principian to play in the NFL. On the track and field team, John helped Principia win the conference championship and the Illinois State Championship his senior year, setting long-standing College records in the 100-meter dash (10.69 seconds) and long jump, qualifying for Nationals in both. He also played on the men’s basketball team for one season.