Northern Illinois LB Devon Butler stabbed

Northern Illinois linebacker Devon Butler was stabbed in the chest early Sunday morning by a man after an altercation at a party. Butler was treated for non-life threatening injuries following the stabbing at a nearby hospital and released a short time later.

Of course, it's not like a stab wound could really have an effect on Butler. After all, this is the same Devon Butler that missed the entire 2011 season for Northern Illinois after being shot in a drug deal gone wrong.

According to police, the latest incident took place after 25-year old Freddy E. Sparks-Ward was ejected from an off-campus party. Sparks-Ward left the party only to return and get in an altercation with Butler before stabbing him.

The police also said that there is no connection between the stabbing and the shooting incident last year.

Butler was shot while in an apartment due to a drug deal gone wrong. He was visiting friends when two men who had earlier sold marijuana to the apartment's tenants but didn't get paid returned to the apartment and opened fire.

Butler was able to work out with his teammates on Monday following the stabbing.