John Butler, 56; Helped Get Buffalo Bills to 4 Super Bowls

John Butler, who helped draw the blueprint for the Buffalo Bills’ record Super Bowl run in the 1990s and was trying to copy his own model for the San Diego Chargers, died Friday of complications from lung cancer. He was 56.

Butler became the Chargers’ general manager in 2001 after serving in that capacity for the Bills for eight years. Joining the Buffalo front office in 1987, Butler had a key role as the Bills appeared in the Super Bowl an unprecedented four straight times from 1991 to 1994.

Buffalo lost all four of those games, but Butler always saw the positive, even in the last week of his life, said his close friend of two decades, Bruce Allen, the Oakland Raiders’ general manager.

“Just this week,” said Allen, “he was saying, ‘Let’s see someone match that, four straight Super Bowls.’ He challenged anyone to do it again.”

At the time of his death, Butler, who first learned of his condition last July, was engrossed in a new challenge. He was a key figure in the Chargers’ planned move this season from La Jolla to Carson for training camp, a move many speculate might be followed by the team’s return to Los Angeles.

“He was the consummate football guy,” said Charger Coach Marty Schottenheimer, who was hired by Butler in January 2002. “Football, after his family, was the thing that was most important to him.

“We lost a giant here, both literally and figuratively.”

But a gentle giant. Allen still laughs about Butler’s recruiting of cornerback Frank Minnifield out of Louisville in the early 1980s for the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League.

Butler was director of scouting for Chicago, Allen the general manager.

Minnifield would be a prize catch for the USFL in its battle to compete with the NFL, but things were not going well for Butler.

“I don’t understand this kid,” he told Allen after making initial contact with Minnifield. “He is so involved with his video games. Maybe you’d better send somebody else out here who can relate to him.”

Two days later, Allen again heard from Butler. “I’m kicking his behind in this video game,” Butler said, “and he promised me, if I beat him in Pac-Man, he would sign with the Blitz.”

Said Allen, “Minnifield signed with us for practically nothing. I mean, nothing, because he loved Johnny so much.”

Born in Chicago, Butler spent four years in the Marines, including active duty in Vietnam.

After the service, he attended San Bernardino Junior College and the University of Illinois, where he spent one season on the offensive line before a knee injury cut short his playing career.

Butler entered the coaching ranks in 1979 as an assistant at the University of Evansville, where he spent three years, then joined the Blitz, working with both George and Bruce Allen, and Marv Levy.

His first NFL job was as a scout for the Chargers in 1985.

Upon his return to the Chargers as general manager, Butler drafted two players he hoped to build the offense around -- quarterback Drew Brees and running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

San Diego went 5-11 and 8-8 in Butler’s two seasons.

“It’s one of the saddest days in Bills’ history,” said Jim Kelly, Buffalo’s quarterback in the Super Bowl years. “He always used to come up to me when he’d see my head down a little bit and say, ‘You need to stop off in my office.’ His door was always open for you, whether it was to go up there and complain to him about his smoking, or to talk to him about things we thought could help the franchise.

“I almost treated him like a brother, even though he was ‘Papa John’ to everybody.”

Butler leaves behind his wife, Alice, and a daughter, Andrea.

“When he was first diagnosed,” Kelly said, “I can remember him saying, ‘I’m going to kick its butt.’ Of anybody, that’s a guy I thought would be able to do it.”

Butler will be buried in Champaign, Ill. A memorial service will be held later this spring in San Diego.