While it flew under the radar, Dallas Renegades wide receiver Emmanuel Butler had a historic season in the United Football League (UFL). Heading into the year, Butler was expected to be a rotational piece for Dallas – but his consistency resulted in the most productive campaign of his professional career.
Believe it or not, Emmanuel’s reception-to-touchdown (RTT) ratio in 2026 set a professional football record – reaching uncharted territory for a wideout. He caught 14 passes on the year, seven of which were in the end zone. That gives him a RTT of 50% – the highest percentage of any wide receiver in a single season with 10 or more catches.
Emmanuel Butler is a spring football veteran. He made his way to the USFL in 2023, only seeing the field for several snaps with the Houston Gamblers. Butler was retained by C.J. Johnson and that staff as they transitioned to the Roughnecks brand in 2024. Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Butler recorded 420 receiving yards alongside three touchdowns.
Houston opted not to retain Butler when Kevin Sumlin took over, making him a free agent. He landed with the Dallas Renegades – as a late signing in Training Camp, originally projected to not even make the roster.
Instead, Emmanuel became one of the most reliable targets on their roster. With so much attention being given to All-UFL wideout Tyler Vaughns, Austin Reed needed another playmaker to step up. That’s exactly what Butler did, with 196 yards and seven scores on just 14 catches (27 targets).
“Emmanuel is one of the bright lights on this team. In a six game losing streak, it’s hard to find those bright lights. But, he’s been outstanding since the moment he joined the team. He’s just done his job. My goodness, every time we go to him, he seemingly makes a big play. I’m very happy for him, he’s got a wonderful personality and a team-first attitude.” – Renegades HC Rick Neuheisel
With those numbers, Butler stands in a league of his own. Bucky Pope was widely regarded as the single season touchdown king in this category. During the 1964 season with the Rams, Pope had 25 receptions – 10 of which were touchdowns (40%). Another comparable performance is from the legendary Jerry Rice, who had 22 scores in 1987 with the 49ers, on 65 receptions (33.8%).
Of course, there are plenty of receivers out there who had a 2-4 catches in a season which may have been scores – but those are anomalies. For example, Chris Doering had two receptions, both of which were touchdowns, in the 1999 season with the Denver Broncos. Ramses Barden scored two touchdowns on four receptions during the 2011 campaign with the Giants.
That said, Emmanuel Butler is the ONLY wide receiver at the professional level to have a 50%+ reception-to-touchdown ratio in a single season. It’s an impressive feat, and one that should not go unnoticed. Emmanuel’s size and catch radius made him the perfect target for Reed in the red zone, and that’s exactly what led to all of the success this year. Butler’s seven touchdowns led the UFL this year – tied with teammate Tyler Vaughns.
Twice on the season, Emmanuel recorded two scores in one game (W8, W10). Butler currently has 616 yards and 10 touchdowns in his UFL career with Houston and Dallas. It remains unclear if he plans to return to Dallas, or the United Football League, for the 2027 season. Hopefully, he will be back.
What are your thoughts on Emmanuel Butler’s historic season with Dallas? Should the Renegades make him more of a focal point next year? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
