Butte College is a community college in northern California, approximately a 90-minute drive from Sacramento, the state’s capital. Established in 1967 the Roadrunners have produced two top flight NFL players: Larry Allen and Aaron Rodgers. Of the pair, who is the pride of Butte College?
Larry Allen played 14-seasons in the NFL, 12 with the Dallas Cowboys and his final two years were with the San Francisco 49ers. During his tenure in the NFL he anchored the offensive line at Left Tackle and was ultimately selected to 11-Pro Bowls. He is a member of the NFL 1990’s All-Decade Team and the NFL 2000’s All-Decade Team. He played for the Cowboys during their Super Bowl XXX championship and on November 6, 2011 he will be enshrined in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. In a 2008 Sports Illustrated poll Allen finished third when NFL players were asked, Which NFL player would you least like to mess with? He was retired at the time of the poll.
Aaron Rodgers went from Butte College to star at Cal. He was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and didn’t become their starting quarterback until 2008. Since becoming a starter he holds the record for highest QB Rating during the regular and post season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009. In 2010 he lead the Packers to the Super Bowl and was named MVP in the victory.
“It’s a little bit of a cat-and-mouse game,” New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said after 2011 opening game. “We got to him early, but he’s got a quick release and he’s got a handful of targets, obviously, starting with the tight ends and receivers. He’s probably one of the top quarterbacks in our league under pressure.”
At this junction Larry Allen is the pride of Butte College. He is one of the greatest lineman ever and will eventually be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rodgers career is just starting but he is well on his way to joining Allen in Canton if he continues at his current pace. It is somewhat amazing that a fairly obscure community college in rural northern California could produce such NFL talent but they did. Rodgers and Allen are proof that talent and dedication supercedes attending a marquee community college.