Malcolm Butler, a former New England Patriots Super Bowl hero, did not play a single defensive snap in the Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. But the cornerback didn’t have anything to say immediately after the biggest game of the season and told reporters as much. Malcolm is a former Pro Bowler, and he led all Patriots defensive players in snaps during the regular season. As the team waited for the bus, he seemed to open up a little more about his feelings, according to NFL.com.
“They gave up on me. F—. It is what it is,” Butler said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss and NFL.com. “I don’t know what it was. I guess I wasn’t playing good or they didn’t feel comfortable. I don’t know. But I could have changed that game.”
Butler saw playing time only on special teams, and Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe and Johnson Bademosi played at corner for the Patriots for most of the game. It appears that the decision to basically bench Butler was made shortly before the game. Rowe told reporters after the game that he wasn’t originally supposed to start, and that he “feels for Butler.” Head coach Bill Belichick said that the move to keep Butler on the sidelines was strictly a game-plan decision. Butler’s time with the Patriots seems to be over. He is set to become a free agent in March.
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