ESPN signed Darius Butler in 2022 to appear on the iconic NFL Matchup show. His dedication to the game of football – both as a student and a teacher – brings an extra layer of knowledge and expertise to the film-study show.

Born in Frankfurt, Germany on a U.S. military base, Butler grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and attended Coral Springs Charter School. He attended the University of Connecticut where he was a four-year starter and named First-Team All-Big East in 2008. After being drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Butler played with the Pats and the Carolina Panthers before joining the Indianapolis Colts where he played for six seasons. Butler, cornerback and safety, finished his career having played in 124 career games, recording 15 interceptions, four touchdowns and 334 total tackles.

In 2017, the Colts nominated Butler for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his excellence on and off the field. In 2009, upon entering the NFL, Butler and his family founded The Darius Butler Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to tackle hunger in underserved communities, inspire at-risk youth to achieve their dreams and excel in the classroom.

Since retiring from the NFL, Butler has become a popular sports personality; He is the co-host of the Man to Man Podcast alongside former NFL player Antoine Bethea where they cover Football, F1 and all things sports, he has appeared on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Fox Sports’ The Herd with Colin Cowherd and is a regular host on the Pat MacAfee Show.