Steelers Now
A former wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been named one of the best players in the UFL.
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had a ton of success with building their wide receiver room over the past few years. However, some of their former wide receivers have gone onto have success elsewhere.
Former Steelers wide receiver Hakeem Butler has been named the 2026 UFL Offensive Player of the Year. It’s his second UFL OPOY award in the past three seasons.
Butler was highly productive with the St. Louis Battlehawks once again, recording 665 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 22.1 yards per reception — a UFL record.
The 30-year-old was also able to have the impressive season he did with three different starting quarterbacks in Brandon Silvers, Harrison Frost, and Luis Perez.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Butler, but if he continues playing at the level he has been, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he earns another opportunity in the NFL.
The Arizona Cardinals selected the 6-foot-5 Butler in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but he was released before the start of the 2020 season. He then joined the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles for brief stints before exiting the NFL altogether.
The Steelers then picked up Butler in 2023 and gave him a chance throughout the spring and summer. However, he had inconsistency with his hands in training camp, and a preseason injury caused his release.
After his release by the Steelers, Butler returned to St. Louis to play for the Battlehawks in the new UFL and he caught 45 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns over 10 games. That is when he earned his first UFL Offensive Player of the Year honors.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former Steelers WR Named UFL Offensive Player of the Year
