Lambeau Field

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first Lambeau Leap happened on December 26, 1993, in a historically cold game between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Raiders. With the Packers leading 14–0 in the fourth quarter, Raiders quarterback Vince Evans completed a short pass to running back Randy Jordan. Jordan was hit by Packers safety LeRoy Butler and fumbled. The ball bounced to defensive lineman Reggie White, who ran toward the end zone but was tackled by Raiders guard Steve Wisniewski. As White fell out of bounds, he tossed the ball to Butler, who ran it in for a touchdown. After scoring, Butler dropped the ball, pointed to the bleachers, and leaped into the first row of fans, who embraced him. The Packers won 28–0, clinching their first playoff berth in 11 years. Broadcast replays showed White stepped out of bounds before the toss, and the Raiders argued the pass should have been ruled incomplete. The celebration was popularized by wide receiver Robert Brooks, who did it after every touchdown he scored. When the NFL updated celebration rules in 2000 and 2014, the Lambeau Leap was grandfathered in because it was an individual act that did not taunt.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the field, whipping snow into drifts against the goalposts. A lone figure, bundled in green and gold, trudged through the stands, his breath fogging in the -20°F air. He paused at the 50-yard line, where the frozen turf cracked under his boots. The stadium hummed with ghosts of glory, and he felt them shiver through the cold.

Reader's Guide

Lambeau Field is where the Lambeau Leap became an expectation for all Packers players who score at home. Safety concerns have been noted: players have been touched inappropriately by fans, had drinks and food spilled on them, and sometimes crash into the wall or fail to jump high enough. In 2003, the wall was lowered to make the leap easier. During the 2020 season, the NFL removed fans from the first six to eight rows due to COVID-19, effectively banning the Leap, though players still leaped into empty stands. Opposing players have attempted the Leap with mixed results: in the 2007 NFC Championship, Giants running back Brandon Jacobs faked a Leap, angering Packers fans. In 2009, Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson (then Ochocinco) announced he would do a Leap if he scored, then leaped into pre-arranged fans wearing Bengals jerseys. Packers kicker Mason Crosby performed his first career Lambeau Leap after a game-winning field goal against the Lions in 2019—his 13th season—unique because it came after a field goal, not a touchdown.

Did You Know?

• The first Lambeau Leap was performed by LeRoy Butler on December 26, 1993, after he scored a touchdown from a fumble recovery against the Los Angeles Raiders.
• Broadcast replays showed Reggie White stepped out of bounds before tossing the ball to Butler, and the Raiders argued the pass should have been ruled incomplete.
• The Lambeau Leap was grandfathered into NFL celebration rules in 2000 and 2014 because it was an individual act that did not taunt.
• In 2003, the wall between the field and stands was lowered during a renovation, making the leap easier for players.
• Packers kicker Mason Crosby performed his first Lambeau Leap in 2019 after a game-winning field goal, his 13th season, unique because it came after a field goal rather than a touchdown.