Duane Butler was one of the wave of players in the late 1990s and the first part of the 2000s who was converted from a defensive back to an outside linebacker in the CFL. The objective was to get more speed at that position to help in pass coveraage and bringing pressure from the edges on the quarterback. Butler signed as a free agent with Hamilton in 2001 out of Illinois State and played two seasons in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings (1997-98) before coming to the CFL and spending two seasons with the Tiger-Cats (2001-02).
Hamilton released Butler in June of 2003, and that was a move that ended up helping both Butler and the Montreal Alouettes who picked him up. Butler went on to have four very good seasons with the Alouttes at linebacker, including an East All-Star at linebacker in 2005. The Alouettes went to three Grey Cups in Butler's four seasons (2003, 2005 abd 2006), but unfortunately, they lost all three times.
In terms of individual stats, Butler recorded 6 career interceptions, 15 career intercepts and 18 career quarterback sacks. In 2003, Butler had 6 quarterback sacks, 5 of them coming in one game against Winnipeg. The following season, in 2004, Butler had a career high 8 quarterback sacks. Butler recorded three career defensive touchdowns with a pair on fumble returns and one on an interception return.
| Year | Team | GP | T | ST | Total | TFL | Yds | KD | Sacks | Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | HAM | 16 | 36 | 12 | 48 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2002 | HAM | 17 | 53 | 6 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2003 | MON | 12 | 39 | 6 | 45 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2004 | MON | 15 | 52 | 5 | 57 | 7 | 24 | 6 | 8 | |
| 2005 | MON | 15 | 65 | 11 | 79 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2006 | MON | 18 | 68 | 7 | 75 | 5 | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| Year | Team | Int | Yds | Avg | TDInt | Long | FR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | HAM | 1 | 53 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | HAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 67 | 1 | 67 | |
| 2003 | MON | 2 | 104 | 52 | 1 | 79 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | MON | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | MON | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 3.5 | 1 | 11 | |
| 2006 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Year | Team | KOR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | PR | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | HAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 | HAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | MON | 2 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Year | Team | BK | BC | BFG | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | HAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | HAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | MON | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | MON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
