How different would the 2010s have been if the Wildcats had landed this tight end away from their Big Ten rivals?
As a star tight end at the University of Michigan, Jake Butt gashed Northwestern on the football field. But did you know that Butt was almost a Wildcat himself?
The former Wolverine shined in Ann Arbor from 2013 to 2016, and following a short stint in the NFL, Butt returned to Big Ten football as a part of the broadcast booth. Butt is now a color commentator and analyst for the Big Ten Network.
During Wednesday's Big Ten Media Days session in Chicago, Butt revealed that Northwestern was his second choice as a high school recruit because of the Wildcats' former head coach, Pat Fitzgerald. Now the head coach at Michigan State, Fitzgerald has "a big fan" in the former Michigan star.
"When I was being recruited — and ultimately, I chose Michigan — my second-favorite school was to go play at Northwestern under Pat Fitzgerald," Butt said. "He's just a football coach, and he attracts football players. For Michigan State, they get a coach that's really hungry to prove himself. He was used to winning at Northwestern, made a few trips to Indy to compete for Big Ten titles."
Jan 6, 2024; Houston, TX, USA;MichiganWolverines defensive back Mike Sainristil (0) talks with Big Ten Network personality Dave Revsine (left) and formerMichiganWolverines playerJakeButt(center) during media day before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Washington Huskies at George R Brown Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports Butt was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2013 and ranked the No. 10 tight end in the nation by 247 Sports' composite ranking. He was the Big Ten Tight End of the Year and a First Team All-American in 2015 and 2016, as well as the winner of the 2016 John Mackey Award, given to the nation's most outstanding tight end.
In three matchups against the Wildcats while Butt was on the roster, Michigan went 3-0 and outscored Northwestern, 75-28. That includes a 38-0 thrashing of the 'Cats in 2015.
The Denver Broncos selected Butt with the No. 145 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. However, his professional career was hampered by injuries and he appeared in just eight NFL games, in which Butt caught 10 passes for 90 yards.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald was incredibly successful for much of the 2010s at Northwestern, even without landing Butt as a top recruit. The Wildcats eclipsed 10 wins in a season three times and went 5-1 in bowl games from 2012 to 2020. Northwestern also reached the Big Ten Championship Game in 2018 and 2020, falling to Ohio State both times.
Jul 29, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Michigan State Football head coachPatFitzgeraldspeaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Northwestern fired Fitzgerald in the summer of 2023 because of a hazing investigation, replacing him with then-defensive coordinator David Braun. Fitzgerald pursued legal action against the university for much of the following two years and the two parties finalized a settlement last August.
The Spartans hired Fitzgerald in December to succeed former head coach Jonathan Smith. Braun and Fitzgerald will face off for the first time as head coaches on Oct. 17 in East Lansing.
