It took me years to realize it, but Butler is missing something.

Our town should be blowing its own horn in terms of its sports legacy more than it does.

The formation of the Butler High School Athletic Hall of Fame a few years ago has definitely been a positive step in that direction. The Hall of Fame display in the hallway outside of the school gymnasium is outstanding.

But there needs to be more.

Butler has had a number of athletic achievements over the years, including a legendary umpire in Ed Vargo, World Series pitcher in John Stuper, Super Bowl winner and Heisman runner-up Terry Hanratty and major league pitcher Matt Clement, just to name a few.

But there is one that truly stands out, one the city of Butler should proudly hang its hat on and let anyone who drives into this town know about.

The Saul brothers.

Bill, Rich and Ron Saul combined to spend 33 years in the National Football League. Rich spent 12 years as a lineman with the Rams, Bill spent nine years in the league as a linebacker for the Colts, Steelers, Saints and Lions. Rich had a 12-year career as a lineman with the Oilers and Redskins.

No other trio of brothers can touch that.

There have been 25 triple brother acts in NFL history — including Rob, Dan and Chris Gronkowski currently — but none can approach the longevity or accomplishments in the league that these three guys have.

Closest to them in that regard is probably the Richardson trio of Gloster, Tom and Willie. They were wide receivers in the league. Foster and Willie played for a combined 27 years, but Tom only played for two seasons.

The Nesser family actually had six brothers playing pro football simultaneously in the 1920s, but none had a lengthy career. The Browners had four brothers — Jim, Joey, Keith and Ross — in the NFL, but Joey was the only one to play for a long time.

Al, Niko and Pete Noga were brothers in the NFL during the 1980s, but only briefly.

Longevity is the key here. All three Saul brothers had lengthy, productive, stellar careers. They are clearly the best trio of brothers in NFL history.

Enter New Brighton and there’s a sign calling it the home of Terry Francona. Go down to East Brady and there’s a sign honoring Jim Kelly. Other towns have signs recognizing past high school state championships.

Butler should boast such a sign praising the accomplishments of the Saul brothers.

Welcome to Butler: Home of Bill, Rich and Ron Saul, the most accomplished three-brother combo in NFL history.

Those guys are definitely something to be proud of. They represent work ethic, grit, determination and pride in their hometown.

Such qualities also represent numerous Butler athletes who have come before and after them.

The Saul brothers signify the heart and soul of our community.

We should let everybody know that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle