Northern Arizona head football coach Jerome Souers announced that senior wide receiver Emmanuel Butler will miss the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. Butler suffered the injury on Sept. 9 versus Western Illinois.
“At this time, we have to announce that Emmanuel will miss the remainder of the 2017 season,” Souers said. “It is unfortunate not only because Emmanuel is one of the nation’s best wide receivers, but because he is a leader of this football team. He worked hard to prepare for his senior season and while we will miss a player of Emmanuel’s caliber on the field, our goal of a Big Sky Championship has not changed.”
Butler, an All-American wideout and a preseason Walter Payton Award Watch List honoree, recorded six receptions for 95 yards this season prior to his injury.
“It is heartbreaking to know that I won’t be able to go out there with my team,” Butler said. “But I know that everything happens for a reason and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
Butler is fifth in school history with 2,541 receiving yards and seventh with 152 receptions. His 26 receiving touchdowns also rank second all-time, just two shy of the school record.