Butterfield was described as a star of the future by manager at the time, Simon Davey. He had worked with Butterfield in the Barnsley academy before being appointed as manager in 2006. He made his debut for Barnsley in a League Cup tie against Newcastle United in August 2007 coming on as a substitute for Martin Devaney during a 2–0 loss. Butterfield also made a substitute appearance in Barnsley's 2008 FA Cup semi-final against Cardiff City. Butterfield scored his first senior goal on 8 August 2009 with a 59th-minute goal at Hillsborough against local rivals Sheffield Wednesday. This goal proved to be vital as it spurred Barnsley on to claw back to 2–2 as Barnsley were 2–0 down at half time. He also made an appearance coming on as a substitute versus former club Manchester United in a League Cup tie in which Barnsley suffered a 2–0 defeat. On 17 September 2011, he captained Barnsley for the first time. It was in their 1–1 draw at home to Watford. Many believed at the time that Butterfield, at just 21 years of age, had become Barnsley's youngest ever captain. But, in fact, Eric Winstanley had captained the Reds at aged 19 in the 1960s. Butterfield was having an exceptional season and Premier League scouts were regularly in attendance at Oakwell. He was soon rewarded for his efforts with a call up to the England under 21 squad. Butterfield missed the rest of the 2011–12 season through injury following a shocking 'tackle' in the New Year's Eve derby encounter with Leeds United bringing his "amazing" form to an end. Scans taken after the match showed it to be torn anterior cruciate ligaments. He finished the season – albeit prematurely – with five goals to his name and a growing reputation in The Championship, described by his manager Keith Hill as the best midfielder in the league.
On 3 July 2012, Butterfield signed for Norwich City on a four-year contract. Butterfield was out of contract, but Barnsley were entitled to compensation, due to his age. He made his debut for the club on 26 September in a 1–0 win over Doncaster Rovers in the Football League Cup. However, he failed to gain a first team place at the club, with his only other first team appearance being another League Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur, and spent most of his time with Norwich out on loan. On 8 November, Butterfield joined Bolton Wanderers on loan for a month, this becoming Dougie Freedman's first signing since taking over at the Reebok Stadium. He made his debut on 17 November, in a 1–1 draw at home against his former club Barnsley. The loan was extended outside the Window by another month on 1 December. Butterfield left Bolton and went back to Norwich City on 3 January 2013. On 16 January 2013, it was announced that Butterfield had signed on loan for Crystal Palace, where he was given the squad number six. He made his début on 19 January, where he was part of the starting eleven, in a goalless draw with Bolton Wanderers. His last appearance for Crystal Palace was on 5 March, when he started in the 4–2 victory over Hull City. He returned to Norwich before the end of that month.
On 2 September 2013, Butterfield signed a three-year contract, with a one-year option to extend, at Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat at Ipswich Town on 14 September 2013. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 win over Yeovil Town on 5 October 2013. He would go on to score a goal that was controversially disallowed at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday. He scored one of the goals of the season for the Boro against Birmingham City and followed that up with the winning goal at eventual runners up, Burnley a week later to end the campaign in good form. He was also part of the Boro side whose victory on the 26 April 2014 relegated his former club, Barnsley to the third tier of English football.
On 13 August 2014, Butterfield joined Huddersfield Town and signed a four-year deal, which was part of a swap deal that saw Adam Clayton join Middlesbrough. He made his début for the Terriers in their 3–1 defeat to Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium on 16 August 2014. His first goal for Huddersfield Town came in a 2–1 win against Reading at the Madejski Stadium in the 10th minute on 19 August 2014. His first home goal for the Terriers came in the 4–2 win over Blackpool on 18 October 2014. He repeated that trick just a few days later on 21 October 2014, scoring from close range in the 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, prompting new manager Chris Powell to set Butterfield a target of reaching double figures for the season. He scored his fourth for the club in a 2–1 home victory over former club, Bolton Wanderers, a cracking strike from the angle of the box and started 2015 in good form when playing a key role in the club's 3–1 win over high flying Watford, setting up the opening goal for Nahki Wells. He went on to score another two goals, created many more and was voted the club's Player of the Season for the 2014–15 season.
On 1 September 2015, Butterfield joined Derby County for around £5 million on a four-year deal. He scored his first goal for The Rams in a 3–0 win over Rotherham United on 31 October 2015. He scored twice for Derby County away at Hull on his 200th appearance of his Football League career. Butterfield joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan on 31 August 2017, in a loan swap-deal involving Sam Winnall moving in the other direction from Wednesday to Derby for the duration of the 2017–18 season. In January 2019 he moved on loan to Bradford City.
On 30 July 2019, Butterfield joined Luton Town after Derby agreed to mutually terminate his deal. The length of his contract at Luton was not disclosed. He made his debut on 2 August in a 3–3 draw with his former club Middlesbrough, coming on as a 60th minute substitute. Butterfield was released at the end of the 2019–20 season.
International career
Butterfield was called up to represent England at under-21 level, though he never made an appearance.
