Patriots-Ex Malcolm Butler: Tale of Two Super Bowls

Malcolm Butler will forever help to define the second-half of the New England Patriots ‘dynasty’ years.

FOXBORO — Former New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler lived the moment for which most athletes dream, yet seldom achieve.

He is also forever connected to arguably the team’s most perplexing moment in their two-decade run of dynastic success. 

In one instance, Butler made THE play in THE moment. 

For the other, he inexplicably played zero snaps on defense. 

As Patriots fans fondly glance back at the glory days during Super Bowl weekend, perhaps it is fitting that Butler be a topic of conversation. After all, his most indelible marks on the game of football took place on the NFL’s greatest stage.

Butler’s story is both interesting and ironic. The manner in which both triumph and mystery have shrouded his brief time with the Patriots has made him both beloved and sympathetic. 

Accordingly, Butler will always be one of the most prominent centerpieces of Patriots’ Super Bowl lore — both good and bad. 

The Good

With 20 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX, the Seattle Seahawks were in position to score on the Patriots' one-yard line. Poised to erase a four-point New England lead, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson attempted to find wide receiver Ricardo Lockette on a ‘slat’ route at the goal line. Butler got the quick jump on Lockette and intercepted Wilson’s pass, returning possession to the Patriots and preserving a 28-24 victory. New England held on to capture their fifth Super Bowl championship.

While mostly everyone expected Seattle to hand the ball to running back Marshawn Lynch, Butler showed both the prowess and instinct which would earn him a Pro Bowl selection in 2015, and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2016. The Pats corner recognized Wilson’s intentions, having read the Seahawks’ two-receiver stack formation. Eyeing Lockette as a potential target, Butler made the pick and sealed the win for New England.

"From the preparation I got from Coach [Matt] Patricia (then-Patriots defensive coordinator) in practice, I remembered the formation they were in,” Butler said in retrospect. “Coach said ’Malcolm, Go’ …I went in and just beat him to the route and made the play." 

The interception was the first of Butler's NFL career — a breakout moment for the undrafted rookie who was listed fifth on the Patriots depth chart heading into the season. 

Despite being bypassed for Super Bowl MVP — a decision which did not sit well with many (including the chosen MVP, quarterback Tom Brady), a star had been born on the field in Glendale, Arizona on that fateful night in February.   

The Bad

Following his standout Super Bowl moment, Butler remained with the Pats through 2017, spending much of that time as the team’s top player at the position. However, his New England tenure came to an acrimonious end at the conclusion of the 2017 season. 

In what would be his “final” game with the team, Butler and the Patriots lost 41-33 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII. He did not play any defensive snaps in the game, only coming in for a single play on special teams. After the game, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said his lack of playing time was a "coach's decision," and not due to disciplinary issues as many have speculated. 

When asked about the benching, Butler stated: "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." 

By the following morning, Belichick acknowledged that a "much longer discussion could occur” regarding Butler's absence on defense. It was also heavily intimated that the cornerback had been demoted due to subpar play, which began during Wild Card week practices, a period in which the Patriots had a bye week. Conspiracy theories surrounding his individual relationships with Patriots coaches have also served as talk-show fodder for those seeking a controversial angle. 

Although speculation continues to swirl, no reason has been given by the team, the Pats coaches, or Butler himself for his absence. 

The Future?

To his credit, Butler has always diplomatically approached the subject. Rather than fuel unfounded notions, or publicly degrade his former coaches, he has continuously chosen to describe his peculiar Super Bowl benching as a ‘coaching decision’ with which he has learned to live. 

As a result, the bridge between Butler and the Pats remained standing — to the point where the former undrafted free agent signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Pats this offseason; ending a temporary retirement.

Ultimately, a hip injury derailed Butler’s comeback attempt in New England, as the team released him with an injury designation in August. Though he remained unsigned throughout the season, Butler continues to train and remains hopeful for a return to the field in 2023. 

Though the mysterious details of his benching in in Super Bowl LII have long been held hostage by the ghosts of Pats’ past, the time may be coming for Butler to finally tell his story. 

“Like I always say, man, it was a coaching decision,” Butler said during an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” on Super Bowl LVII Radio Row. “It was a coach’s decision. But I really don’t know, man. There’s a documentary coming out where I’m talking about all that. I did that with some of the guys in New England. And I’ve got a book coming out, also, so I ain’t going to spill the beans right now. But it’ll be something to look forward to.”

The Butler ‘Did It’

As Patriots fans once again prepare to watch two other teams compete for a Super Bowl championship — for the fourth-straight year— they find themselves longing for the days when red, white and blue confetti mixed with Lombardi Trophy silver as the night’s backdrop.

Assuredly, there will also be a bit of uneasiness as the Philadelphia Eagles take the field against the Kansas City Chiefs, knowing the Pats fate in their last Super Bowl meeting with Philly. 

For Butler, it will be a melding of two opposite ends of the spectrum. The journey from hero to ‘missing-in-action’ has certainly been intriguing. It is somewhat ironic that Sunday’s matchup will be held in Glendale — the place where it all began in February 2015.  

It was on that night where Butler not only solidified his own legacy, but helped to revive the Patriots dynasty — an image far more indelible than any “DNP” on a stat sheet.

As such, those should be the memories shared by Patriots Nation as they watch Super Bowl LVII.  

“Malcolm, Go” over ‘Malcolm ‘Gone.’

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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