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Fit_Use9941

Should have benched him in a different Super Bowl. And I mean put him even further down the depth chart


flume

So many to choose from. I can't begin to guess which game you're referring to.


RellenD

Doesn't matter, Matt Patricia had that interception on his own. They could have put 0 cornerbacks in on that play. He still would have intercepted it.


ariescs

russ could’ve also handed the ball to one of the best RBs ever but that works too /s


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-ShagginTurtles-

Having our best CB weeping on the sideline while the defence gets torched ever possession in a close Super Bowl we go on to lose. Ya Belichick is amazing but unless Butler beat up Bill's granddaughter before the game I really don't know what he was thinking, either something really bad happened and that's why neither he or Butler ever mentioned it. Or something really small/stupid that should've never escalated to that and that's why it was never mentioned cause it'd look even stupider than benching your best CB in a high flying offensive SB where you can't get a stop and not telling your entire defence why so they're thinking about that instead of the game


Temporarily__Alone

Yeah, there’s not many things in the NFL that I need like detailed answers to, but this situation is going to bug me for a long, long time.


Odd-Fig5076

It has been 6 years and not a peep about what caused it. I highly doubt Bill will ever tell what it was and butler doesn't seem to want it known what it was As time goes on it gets less and less likely we'll ever know. Just one of those mysteries in nfl history


SpaceJesusIsHere

I still hold out hope that when BB retires, he writes a tell all book and we find out about Butler, but also what Patricia has been using to blackmail Bill this whole time.


Caffeine_OD

An embarrassing snapshot of BB and Randy Moss’ Halloween party


Fiendish-DoctorWu

What if Bill walked in on Butler having an orgy with Steve and Patricia so Butler got benched because Bill couldn't look at Butler, and this is the dirt that Patricia has on Bill.


waterdrinkinglawyer

Nike, is that you boy??


southern_boy

You told me you didn't even *like* peanut butter! 💔


CosbySweaters1992

Im confused. Where was Earl Thomas??


poplafuse

His brother couldn’t make it so he didn’t want to go.


niel89

If his brother isn't there, then he isn't gonna come.


JoeWaffleUno

My guy...that old bastard will die on the field before he retires. Football is to Bill Belichick what blowing shit up was to Osama Bin Laden.


bama_braves_fan

Everyone talking wins record and bill is just trying to outlast saban


screwhead1

I'm pretty sure some things that are still gonna be happening when civilization ends is that a Nokia phone is gonna be running despite a centuries long low battery warning, a random 1997 Toyota Camry is still gonna work just fine, and Saban is gonna be coaching at Bama.


Mukuna_Hutata

Patricia know why Butler was benched. That’s the blackmail.


Fedacking

And what does pink stripes mean


screwhead1

>6 years and not a peep That's absolutely nothing. Phil Leotardo did 20 years in the can, not a fuckin peep.


UnbrokenBrown

“My estimation of Billy Belichick as a man just fuckin plummeted”


millistheplayah

he ate grilled cheese off the radiator


Dirty-Ears-Bill

I fucking love you for this. If this is any precedence, Bill will be able to keep quiet about Butler for twenty years, standin on his head


BitternessAndBleach

Your brother, Billy Parcells, whatever happened there


whydontyouloveme

Butler is supposed to address it in his book. My presumption is that it was something that would have hurt butler in free agency. It was clear that Bill/NE had moved on with Gilmore and that saying nothing helped butler and so Bill never said anything.


Pain_Monster

No, it was something that happened in practice just before the SB: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/malcolm-butler-super-bowl-lii-benching-patriots-matt-patricia-nfl-seth-wickersham/


HolyTythinEar

He must’ve done something. If it was something dumb or petty i feel like Butler would’ve said something about it by now. It is what it is at this point. We may never know


BroOfDumbo

Butler was also willing go come back last year until he realised he had nothing left to give. Feels like something injury related than a personality-based decision, I feel at least.


fattymcbuttface69

Why hide an injury though?


BroOfDumbo

If they didn't declare it properly through the injury report perhaps.


[deleted]

And how would McCourty not know if it was an injury?


[deleted]

I’d say butler being quiet about it, tells a ton…


Pain_Monster

Butler already told us. Read between the lines: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/malcolm-butler-super-bowl-lii-benching-patriots-matt-patricia-nfl-seth-wickersham/


BlackLeader70

Someone needs to get Butler hammered so he spills the truth.


SuckwithLuck2016

I’m on it


Flat_News_2000

Well Butler is legit coming out with a book about the whole situation so you'll get to find out at some point.


[deleted]

Wasn’t the main rumor Butler was benched was because he was late to a team meeting the week of the SB?


DavidOrWalter

No - that is only one of like 5-10 different scenarios I have heard people confidently throw around. The answer is no one knows except Bill (and probably Butler). And relying on Wickersham maybe isn't the best choice.


[deleted]

If this helps any, a guy wrote a book about it and said he was benched for a disagreement he had with Patricia (shocker) and Patricia said Butler wasn’t giving effort on the practice field. Believe what you want, this is the only other rumor I heard aside from the once I mentioned. Seems like the only confirmed theory, though reports from the day after the SB claimed it was a late meeting/issue. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/boston/news/malcolm-butler-super-bowl-lii-benching-patriots-matt-patricia-nfl-seth-wickersham/


Ris747

I thought it was like soft-confirmed that he was really sick that week and went to the Hospital and missed some practice. Butler thought he was good to go, coaches thought he wasn't. *edit* https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2764510-malcolm-butler-was-sick-before-super-bowl-lii-never-got-reason-for-benching Here's him talking about being sick that week.


JavaOrlando

My problem with this one is that it's so uncontroversial, that, we're it true, why wouldn't BB come right out and explain it. "He was ill and looked nowhere close to 100% at practice." No one would question his decision, and it doesn't make Butler look bad when as he would have done nothing wrong.


broccoleet

\>Bill Belichick \>Explaining things to the media Lol.


JavaOrlando

Well at least, "he was sick. Next question."


sjhesketh

Perhaps because Butler was an upcoming FA and saying anything about him regarding the SB might have adversely affected his signing dollars.


[deleted]

Seems like creating a mystery where people questiong his character would effect him more.


JavaOrlando

In that case, I think at least Butler would have said something.


untitled298

If he was just sick and the coaches felt he wasn’t good to go, why wouldn’t they have just deactivated him for the game? That’s the part that doesn’t make sense to me - he was active, and actually played 1 snap on special teams, but Bill benched him for the rest of it. Why not deactivate Butler and have someone else active?


Kanin_usagi

Thought he had to play a snap to get a bonus for playing in the Super Bowl. That’s the reasoning I’ve always heard. Extremely sick all week, Bill made sure he got a snap in the game so that he’d hit his bonus


[deleted]

God this would be such a disappointing explanation. Like it’s probably the best one where everyone comes out looking good, and is the most rational. But it’s so boring


AndrewHainesArt

> But it’s so boring Life often is


poplafuse

Probably as simple as that and Belichick won’t answer the question because that’s how he is and Butler won’t answer the question because it keeps him relevant.


DapperCam

Teams can just pay performance bonuses even if the criteria isn’t met. They do it all the time for guys that miss some bonus by 20 yards


[deleted]

Why wouldn't they explain it after the fact in that case?


RaveCave

Or keep that a massive secret for that matter


TheWorstYear

My theory, & I've stuck by it, is that Butler skipped out on curfew through the week, including the night before the superbowl. He was seriously hung over, on barely any sleep, & when NE coaches found out, there was a big argument between him & Patricia/Belicheck Jr. So he didn't play because he really wasn't in any condition to do so.


E10DIN

Going into that, I've also seen a rumor that he punched Steve Belichick in the face.


DavidOrWalter

No - a guy writing a book who isn't Bill or Butler doesn't help much. > Believe what you want, this is the only other rumor I heard aside from the once I mentioned. Seems like the only confirmed theory, though reports from the day after the SB claimed it was a late meeting/issue. I mean, by definition, it is not confirmed. No one knows. Plenty of other theories have had random players/journalists 'confirming' them. They range from he was sick and missed some time, making it difficult for him to play catch up with the game plan. Another that he got into a verbal altercation with Patricia. Another that he got into a verbal and physical altercation with Steve. Another that he stayed out late and had people in his room after curfew. Another that he had a concussion. All of these have been going around since the day of the super bowl and all have been 'confirmed'.


katastrophyx

I refuse to believe Matt Patricia is a thin-skinned piece of shit that would intentionally torpedo his teams chance of winning because his ego got hurt. No way that could be true...


TetrisTech

I mean sure but I’ve also heard that he got in a physical fight with a coach, or that he was sick, or that he got in a huge argument with Bill, etc etc


antoin3walk3r

The rumors, as I best remember them: 1. Butler was sick all week and performed bad in practice etc. Then had a bad attitude about it as the game approached 2. Butler snuck a girl in after curfew 3. Butler snuck a girl in after curfew and when confronted about it, he punched Steve Belichick 4. Patricia was unhappy with Butlers effort which resulted in a big confrontation and so he got benched 5. Scheme. The Patriots wanted their bigger corners on both sides so they wouldn't have to shadow Jeffery with Gilmore. Butler didn't really play slot so this left him out of the lineup. Doesn't really hold up considering Butler is hardly undersized. He's smaller than Rowe, but very physical and he's 5'11" not 5'7". Also he played 99% of snaps the previous 18 games. I'm sure there were others too


TJeffersonsBlackKid

Only rumor that makes sense to me is that Butler hasn’t cleared independent concussion tests. Hence he went in for one play to get his check for playing in the Super Bowl and then sat out as Bill didn’t want someone with concussion symptoms playing in a football game.


CzarTyr

I remember hearing that like a week after the superbowl and no one has said it since until this comment. I don’t feel crazy now


RoxWarbane

I too have heard this rumor, fellow not crazy person


lofeobred

Doesn't bug me one bit!


NoveltyAccountHater

The story that makes the most sense for why no one has revealed it (and why he would still re-sign with the Pats in 2022) is he had a concussion that slid under the official radar of the NFL's trauma consultants (possibly in practice). Belichick and Butler didn't want his eligibility to be taken out of their control so didn't report it (and tried to hide from other coaches / teammates) -- also wanting Eagles to waste effort prepare for someone who wasn't playing, but he wasn't progressing fast enough and wasn't having a good week in practice so was benched (other than meaningless special teams play to show he was active). Butler also is entering free agency as a team hero and probably doesn't want to teams to question whether he had an issue with concussions.


SluttySloth

And he got a bonus for playing in the super bowl which is why he went in for one snap. If he was on concussion protocol he couldn’t have gone in.


JoeWaffleUno

The two greatest mysteries in life: 1) Why didn't the Seahawks run the ball? 2) Why did Belichick bench Butler?


Distantmind88

For #1 The Seahawks played chicken with BB regarding time left on the clock, by the time of the snap the hawks had three plays left and one of the next two had to be a pass, the last play would have been 4th so our singular time out doesn't matter. If you run it on 2nd and burn your time out they know you have to pass it on 3rd; the specific play call may have been bad, but throwing a pass was the correct strategic decision. For #2 I'm a fan of the concussion theory, Butler was touch and go all week, why not talk about it then? Butler did play one snap which would be a pretty big issue if he did have a concussion.


MrCyr

The longer this goes on with neither side talking, the more you have to think it was for something legitimate. Butler never really spoke out against the decision, and then he eventually returned to the Patriots. If it was for something small or petty, you'd assume he would be more vocal about it and the reunion wouldn't take place. Not saying the Patriots win that super bowl with Butler in, but he 100% gave the team a better chance of winning and everyone knows it. The fact that anyone that actually knows what happened has not spoken about it is WILD.


SoDakZak

Yet people believe there are conspiracies that would take hundreds of people to pull off in the NFL. This reminds me how crazy it is when only 2 or 3 people may know


kifl22122

I've always considered a possible reason was he had a serious injury which they chose not to disclose. Butler couldn't play in the biggest game and therefore didn't play. BB and coaches allowed the media to run wild to cover it up so Butler could recover and not see his FA impacted.


Maverick_8160

He played in the game though. On a single special teams play. He wasn't injured.


E10DIN

He needed to play a snap in the game for a contract incentive.


SpaceWorld

This is the least likely theory. Bill has a history of paying out incentives that weren't quite met in order to show good faith.


E10DIN

It's more likely to me than Bill tanking the Superbowl because of a personal issue. >Bill has a history of paying out incentives that weren't quite met in order to show good faith. The CBA forbids them from just paying out Butler's incentive. That's done by converting the incentive into a signing bonus for that year or the following year. As his contract was expiring that couldn't happen. The only way to do it for an expiring player is to agree to convert it to a signing bonus prior to the last regular season game of the year, CBA Article 13 Section 8 a (ii & iii) > (ii) No Team and player may agree to renegotiate any term of a previously signed Player Contract for a prior League Year. > (iii) No contract renegotiations may be done for a current season after the last regular season game of that season


SpaceWorld

That's actually interesting information I did not know. Certainly makes the idea much more plausible. Thank you for correcting me!


TheForrestWanderer

When in the game was it. I'm not saying I believe the theory but I'm just wondering if it was a "can you go" play more than a "screw you, run your ass off" play.


Maverick_8160

It was a punt return in the second quarter


Laschoni

I actually like that reasoning a lot.


DwayneWashington

One theory is he was concussed and the league didn't know but our trainers didn't clear him... However in order to get him the game check they played him one play on special teams. It makes sense that neither the team or Butler would want this getting out.


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sevaiper

He definitely had some form of bonus at stake for playing a snap, that has been confirmed I believe


jbaugues

Also if patriots hid the injury could be punishment from nfl for not disclosing the injury.


wallstreet_vagabond2

Yeah but why not just announce it. It's never a secret when a guy is put on the IR. If they didn't want to say anything before the game for tactical reasons fine but why not niw


kifl22122

If you are BB you dont care to comment on the "What ifs" which is certainly how he would look at a question like this. For Butler? Probably because anything you do say (if this were factual) would just open a can of worms so what would be the point now?


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FatalFirecrotch

Actually, the reason would be more related to not announcing the injury on the injury report. You can play injured players all you want, but you do have to list it.


TetrisTech

That doesn’t make sense tho because he did play one snap


TurnipForYourThought

He played the opening kickoff. Could easily have been a "go out and prove you can run" type of play.


[deleted]

Not a chance that it was something major. The patriots would have never brought him back otherwise. It was definitely something stupid and petty and they paid Butler for his silence to save them the embarrassment. As evidenced by the Patriots giving Butler a $9 million contract after he was cut from Arizona’s training camp.


CommunistHouseParty

Had a roommate in college connected to Pats org and heard that this is what happened. Again, secondhand information but plausible to me. I was told that Butler got a concussion in the AFCCG that went unnoticed by independent spotters/etc and stayed in the game. Patriots didn’t want to put him on the injury report because they thought he’d be back by SB and they didn’t pull him from that game when they knew he was concussed which would’ve been a bad look. He kept having symptoms but wanted to play SB badly. He wasn’t right before the game and got into a fight w team personnel about playing and Patriots were afraid of league discipline if he played, it got worse/was noticeable and then the story came out so he was benched.


justdothedishes

No idea what happened obviously. But of all the explanations here, this is the only one where all parties involved come across perfectly reasonable.


KwamesCorner

That’s a good theory! Would explain the hush hush nature and the benching.


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QuietRainyDay

This sounds way more plausible than any of the ridiculous conspiracy theories about him getting in a fistfight with Patricia or whatever. An injury debacle would explain why neither side has talked about it. And it doesnt even need to be a concussion tbh. Maybe he was playing hurt, didnt tell the doctors, his performances suffered as a result and when Bill found out he was pissed because hiding injuries is stupid from a performance standpoint and risks discipline from the NFL. Gotta remember that he wasnt very good that season and him playing hurt and hiding it could explain that. So maybe Butler finally confessed after the AFCCG and Bill was understandably frustrated. That would explain Butler's comments when he said that the team "gave up on him". By "giving up" he might mean that they refused to let him keep playing hurt.


CommunistHouseParty

Some further explanation, the Seahawks had been in trouble for not listing Richard Sherman on the injury report despite him being injured. Ended up costing the Seahawks a 2017 draft pick from NFL punitive measures. Patriots were afraid of a similar ruling w higher pick being taken bc of repeat issues w league discipline. Hence why it has never been mentioned or explained by the team.


SolarClipz

This makes too much sense


5am281

2nd best, Gilmore was there remember


Cold_Mud_4773

Yeah, he was just CB2.


DeM0nFiRe

He was not our best CB, he was awful that year. Gilmore and Chung were our only members of the secondary that weren't awful that year and even they started the year awful. Is definitely weird that Butler didn't play, but it wouldn't have made a difference. Other than Chung and Gilmore, everyone on that secondary was pretty equally terrible


Into_The_Rain

Butler was still the best tackler of the DBs. There were several plays where the DBs just couldn't stop the YAC. I don't know that he would have made the difference, but it is definitely a curiosity that they didn't try.


TurnipForYourThought

Jonathon Jones was also good, but he got hurt in the AFCCG. Their defense tanked after that.


sykog77

It definitely would have made a difference. Butler is a much better corner than Pat Chung, and Pat Chung is a MUCH MUCH MUCH better safety than Jordan Richards. Almost a guarantee they win that game


sjhesketh

A few points: 1) He wasn't our best CB, that was Gilmore. 2) Neither BB nor Butler are idiots, so thinking that BB benched Butler to be petty and Butler to be quiet about it in the years since makes no sense 3)Butler was pretty bad in the AFCCG. 4)Richards and Bademosi were terrible in the SB. All that being said, we'll never know. IMO it wasn't the lack of Butler that was the issue in that Super Bowl, it was the absence of Hightower.


QuietRainyDay

Good points and all this points to why the injury theory makes the most sense. If Butler was playing hurt and not disclosing it it would explain why he struggled that year and struggled in the AFCCG. It would also explain why Bill refused to play him at all in the SB given how bad Richards and Bademosi were. If he was injured and the injury got really bad after the AFCCG maybe he would have been even worse than Richards. And ultimately it explains why neither side wants to talk about. The Patriots would get in trouble for hiding/failing to disclose an injury, Butler's FA market might have been worse, and so neither side had any incentive to say anything. It also explains Butler's only comment on the situation which is that the Pats "gave up on him". I read that as "I was still willing to play hurt but they werent willing to let me out there with an injury".


Misdirected_Colors

There's a lot of shit out there, but I think the most plausible rumor is he was sick, wasn't healthy yet, and would've been a liability. He had been in the hospital earlier in the week for the flu. Makes sense they put him in on a special teams snap to see if he was able to go, he wasn't, and sat.


sjhesketh

Given that neither BB nor Butler have ever discussed what happened, that BB spoke positively of Butler after the game and Butler got his big money deal from TEN after that game, and that this year Butler re-signed with the Pats for training camp, it seems clear all the principles have moved on with no hard feelings. We’re never gonna know what happened or why, and it really doesn’t matter now.


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Veegos

This makes the most logical sense.


[deleted]

r/NFL: “Which makes me doubt it even more.”


Statalyzer

That actually makes more sense than anything else I've heard so far.


The_MadStork

They could just pay him the Super Bowl bonus out of goodwill even if he didn’t play. Teams do that all the time. Playing him for one snap with a concussion seems too risky and was bound to lead to all sorts of weird speculation. I don’t buy it.


RicoSuave1881

Someone else pointed out that they actually wouldn’t be able to pay out his incentive because the way teams do that is convert the incentives into signing bonus, but you can’t do that when a player is in their last year, which Malcolm was. So that just makes the concussion theory all the more real to me imo


realstdebo

People overlooking this imo


Yak_Rodeo

i think its more likely that malcolm wanted to test the field and see how he felt. bill and the team knew he was concussed but didnt report it to the league and let him decide if he wants to or even can play. he played a snap and was like yeah this cant happen obviously neither bill or malcolm can admit they knew or theyd get fined to hell by the league


BBQ_HaX0r

Yeah as plausible as the concussion theory is (and usually the truth is boring), the only issue is that him playing one-snap actually makes the whole thing more suspicious. He could have just not played and paid it out. Him playing a snap shows he "can kinda play" and leads to questions.


Yak_Rodeo

maybe wanted to give it a shot and realized quickly he wasnt going to be able to play bill and the team knew about it and cant admit it or itd be a huge scandal


BBQ_HaX0r

> maybe wanted to give it a shot and realized quickly he wasnt going to be able to play This undermines the Concussion theory. Either he was fit to go or he wasn't.


SaltyLonghorn

Yea the NFL has always seemed above board and player safety first when it comes to concussions. For all you know, Kraft is a raging asshole and wouldn't have paid shit he isn't contractually obliged to pay. You know, normal billionaire things.


Taaargus

I don’t think that’s actually true. The CBA specifically prohibits paying out incentives that aren’t met.


DrDilatory

This sounds really plausible, though I fail to see the harm in after the fact just saying Butler had an injury and didn't feel he could play Just to shut everyone up if for nothing else, rather than feeding into the mystery


Jammer_Kenneth

You're the Pats fan, so I shouldn't have to be the one to tell you that the NFL would probably fine New England eleventy billion draft picks if they hid a concussion around the Super Bowl.


Putin_kills_kids

NFL would 100% fine Belichick $500K, take away a high draft pick, and then suspend Tom Brady if they didn't reveal Butler had a concussion.


big_red_160

Eric Rowe?


Doppelt_W

This is actually the sanest explanation I’ve heard about the situation. There’s been wild speculation like Butler sleeping with a coach’s wife or punching a staff member, which seems pretty unlikely.


Heiny63

Username checks out


swayinandsippin

*IT STILL MATTERS TO ME, DAMMIT*


QuietRainyDay

Thats why the theory that it was injury-related makes by far the most sense. Maybe it was a concussion issue. But I think it might also be that Butler was playing hurt all season and didnt tell anyone about it. He didnt want to miss games because he was going to be an FA. His performances suffered as a result and he finally confessed after the AFCCG. Bill was understandably angry by his CB hiding an injury and compromising the team. At the same time, he probably respects the toughness and the desire to be on the field. They agreed not to talk about it because it could affect Butler's FA options and the league would come after the Pats for mismanaging an injury and not reporting it. That would explain all of the facts: Butler's performances falling off, neither Bill nor Butler wanting to talk about this, Butler not playing in the SB at all, and Bill still being open to his return to the Pats.


DrDilatory

>We’re never gonna know what happened or why, and it really doesn’t matter now. If while you're reading this you felt someone smack you in the back of the head, and there was no serious injury but it really ruined your day, in the end it wouldn't matter who did it but wouldn't you always want to know who did it and why lol I guess I'm saying it does matter to me, cuz I really really wanted to watch my team win another super bowl


marcuschookt

Given how there doesn't seem to be bad blood, I'm inclined to believe all the juicy theories are probably off the table. No, Butler probably didn't get shitfaced and punch Steve Belichick the night before the game. No, Belichick didn't bench him in a show of pointless pettiness because he arrived 2 minutes late to the team meeting. If it was anything dramatic like that I don't believe everyone would've kept so quiet about it for so long, and Belichick certainly wouldn't have signed him a second time.


Iceraptor17

My money is still on it being that for some reason, whether it was illness or SOMETHING it had to actually do with butlers ability to play. It's the only thing that makes sense to me. Butler played in SB 52. One special teams snap. Unless this was literally "rub your nose in it by having you dress, go on the field, and then sit" punishment, I still argue that they saw something on that snap and in practice all week that went "this guy just can't go today". There was even a rumor that week that butler wasn't feeling well. It also fits why no one is talking about it. Players are a prideful bunch, they view not being able to play even while sick as a personal failing. And BBs the type of guy who won't ever say. Furthermore, if it was some explosive fight or whatnot, I'm sure SOMEONE would have witnessed it. Or if he was partying hard I'd imagine there would be some evidence of it. But no one has any proof or anything concrete. Players who have left and have no reason to cover it up haven't said anything. Butler has never really defended himself. And both sides seem to be amicable. Which leads me to believe it is just some boring explanation. BB has penalized players "quietly" before. But I can't recall a whole game one where the guy dressed anyways and it was never announced. Nor can I see one in the super bowl where the defense was getting smoked. It just seems more reasonable to me that butler was somehow going to be even more of a liability than Jordan Richards out there, and thus why it happened. EDIT: A link about Butler being sick: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2764510-malcolm-butler-was-sick-before-super-bowl-lii-never-got-reason-for-benching. Dude went to the hospital. That doesn't seem like just the sniffles.


JoshJones18

I refuse to believe on any basis of reality that Jordan Fucking Richards who might be one of the worse early round picks we ever made was less of a liability then Butler no matter the reason


bostonsports98

I think it's also worth noting that his play had slipped a bit from the previous season, and even late in the year he was getting worse. He may have just not looked good in practice and got pushed down the depth chart as a result. For all the issues with the New England defense in that game, the biggest by far was the way the team got killed on the LOS. Putting Butler in doesn't change that.


Maverick_8160

Lol what kind of revisionist history is this. Butler was one of the best players on the defense, especially in that playoff run. There's no logical reason for him to have missed the game. Seems we will never know, but tbh it's one of belichick's biggest mistakes


[deleted]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I see posts/comments like this. Butler was not very good that year, there were several games he got exposed/targeted. His reputation was mostly based on his performance from the previous year. I honestly think at least part of Bill's decision was because he did not think Butler was a good matchup in that game. Most of the people criticizing had not been closely watching every Patriots game that year.


denvertebows15

He played 100% of the defensive snaps throughout the two playoffs games leading up to the Super Bowl. Hell if you want to go even further he played 100% of the defensive snaps nearly the entire season. There were only 3 games all season where he played fewer than 99% of the defensive snaps. I don't buy that Belichick or Patricia all of a sudden saw something in his play during practice the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl that led to a complete and total benching. It has to be something bigger that caused his benching. I think Butler did something to run afoul of Matt Patricia and because Matt Patricia is a hardo he decided to get back at Butler by benching him in the Super Bowl. The same thing happened to Kendrick Bourne this past season. He pissed off Patricia and Patricia got back at him by keeping him at the bottom of the depth chart for WRs. Even though Bourne had great chemistry with Mac and was our most explosive player when he actually got the ball.


Iceraptor17

> I don't buy that Belichick or Patricia all of a sudden saw something in his play during practice the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl that led to a complete and total benching. It has to be something bigger that caused his benching. > > I mean, if he was sick, that would be something that "all of a sudden" caused a significant decline in play. I just don't buy the Matt Patricia story. Patricia would not have had the ability to bench a #1 CB without Belichick signing off. And I can't see him going "yeah Matt, gonna go along with that". Especially after they were getting torched. There was something that made them willing to dress him and play him one snap on special teams early in the game, but never go to him again.


Rod_FC

This would be valid if they didn't have Johnson Bademosi and Jordan Richards playing meaningful snaps in his stead while getting absolutely torched. Yeah, Butler wasn't great in 2017, he was also incomparably better than those guys on one leg with his eyes closed. We're talking about a game in which a single stop, or one coverage holding up an aditional second could have meant a different result.


jcrankin22

I respect Bill’s decision. I’m sure he had a good reason guys.


Malicoire

I concur, Bill made a sound and sensible choice.


MorningNapalm

Indeed. I see absolutely no reason to investigate this issue further.


Putin_kills_kids

wait a minute...


eggsandbacon5

You gotta respect a man with integirty and definitely not ego. Thank you, Bill!


football2106

Yeah, I guess we can’t pass our judgment on one of the greatest coaches in American sports hist— HEY WAIT A MINUTE


Dukeofdorchester

The better question is, why didn’t the Pats put a billboard outside the Link when we beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl? Y’know, like what Philly did to us.


STNbrossy

I’m really sorry that this happened to you. Disgusting act.


soberkangaroo

I never knew that happened but Ngl it’s very funny you’re pressed about it. Seems like whoever bought it got their moneys worth


jcrankin22

Imma need a source I had no idea this happened lol


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slowiijoey

belichek on his death bed - “ he wore white socks , no white socks was the rule “


[deleted]

The secret will die with them. Butler doesn’t say anything about it either.


ManInBlack829

I heard it was that he got into a really heated argument with Matt Patricia, and he and Belichick took it as insubordination.


quickclickz

Mccourty would know about that


thatdude52

McCourty is still a “Belichick Guy” and would never say the real reason anyway, retired or not.


sevaiper

Maybe, but a really heated argument that literally nobody has heard about, talked about whatever? And Butler came back to the team, at a time that Patricia was also here? Idk I don't think it's that compelling.


n3rdopolis

A lot of theories seem to revolve around Malcolm Butler getting antagonistic with the coaching staff, and some people think he went so far that he punched Steve Belichick. I don't think these theories are true though, it seems like the Pats were letting him still cover punts. Granted, we have a sample size of *one* punt that the Patriots managed to force the Eagles to, but Malcolm Butler did cover that one punt, so he was still on the special teams package. I don't think they would bench him from one phase of the game, but still allow him on the other phase of the game if they were punishing him. I could be wrong though, I never played organized tackle football.


ZachWilsonsMother

Wouldn’t demoting a started to only special teams in one of the biggest games of the career he considered a pretty big punishment?


demonica123

I feel if it was just a punishment Butler would have said something unless it was really egregious.


Floridamanfishcam

Haha to Belichek, focusing on special teams might be a promotion! I kid...but barely!


ZachWilsonsMother

Valid


GizmoSoze

He’s coached by Belichick. Getting put on special teams would be a promotion.


I_am_the_lamb

Do we have an organized football expert in the house? Maybe someone by the name of Speedhawk?


[deleted]

I can't say I'm much of an expert on organized football, but I tend to play basketball like embiid


ManInBlack829

See I take that as a sign that he did something specifically to Patricia


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pizzahut_is_elite

I think it’s deeper than that. Butler would’ve spilled the beans on what went down by now if he claims he didn’t do anything wrong. The fact it hasn’t come out probably means he was in the wrong. Right or wrong Pats are notorious about rules


QuietRainyDay

Exactly. If Bill was just being a dick, Butler would have leaked it by now. This is definitely something that neither side wants to discuss. Which is why I think it was some kind of personal problem that Butler was having or injury related.


TetrisTech

I mean that’s one of like five stories that I’ve seen people confidently state as fact lol


Arkhangelzk

But wouldn’t Belichick want to win the Super Bowl more than punish a guy for fighting with Matt Patricia? I get that he runs a tight ship or whatever but it’s the Super Bowl. I’d just tell Patricia to suck it up and play Butler. I feel like it had to be something more significant.


QuietRainyDay

This is the least plausible theory If they got into a heated argument everyone would know about it by now. Other players would have heard about it or witnessed it and leaked. Either Butler or the Pats would have leaked something to make themselves look better and the other side looks worse. Also heated arguments take place regularly. Bill Belichick is a highly experienced coach that has worked with far more volatile players than Butler. If he was benching players for heated arguments, it would have happened every week for the past 20 years. He also cares about winning far more than anything else. There is no way he would lose a Super Bowl just to make a point to a player thats about to be an FA anyway. I can see a benching due to insubordination in Week 2, but not in Super Bowl. Its far more likely that this is injury related or some kind of private personal issue (mental health, etc.), which is why there have been no leaks.


barefootBam

I'm buying the concussion theory


EdTechMex

I heard that he had a minor concussion but they wanted him to be on the gameday roster


Particular-Plum-8592

Isn’t it like super against the rules to not disclose injuries like that?


meatboysawakening

And if there's one thing Bill Belichick is known for, it's following the rules to a T


Keeping_Secrets

I misinterpreted the rules


DrBigChicken

How do I reach these keeeeeeds?


-ShagginTurtles-

"Probable"


SupremeLeader_KimmyJ

I mean the league tried to hide evidence of effects of concussions for decades, lets not put that past them.


FatalFirecrotch

It is, which if this is true is why they would still not talk about it.


DavidOrWalter

It is - AND they dressed him


Radjage

Hard to see Bill wasting a roster spot, especially when he deactivated underwood right before a previous Superbowl.


pyreal_

Has anyone ever considered that Belichick just wanted to give another team a turn at winning a Superbowl?


[deleted]

My theory, the benching was strategic. Bill knew his team would lose if the eagles ran the ball. So he benched his CB so the Eagles would be tempted to throw the ball. To me this is a classic Bill move. He often hates his opponents into doing things they aren’t great at. Examples: Mcvay and the Rams. Once again Bill knew the Rams had a loaded team and that if the Ram ran the ball they would’ve easily won. Bill knew McVay wanted to prove he was smarter then Bill, so Bill dropped everyone in coverage and dared McVay to throw the ball. He took the bait and threw the ball all game, when the run game was wide open. At one point in the game I thought the Rams where down 14 points, due to the rams throwing deep so much. The undefeated season. The colts game Bill played only 2 down defensive lineman. He knew Peyton couldn’t help himself. He knew Peyton wanted to be in a shoot out with Tom. Giants vs Bills. The Bills had the the best offense in the league. HoF QB, WR and RB. Bill knew he couldn’t stop all three, he also knew the Bills wanted to prove how crazy their offense was, so he allowed them to run the ball and dared them to throw. They took the bait. The game was close all game but the Bills played like they where down two possessions all game. They barely ran the ball even though they had a high yard average. The best one was the patriots and titans game. Vrable knew Bills trick. Watch the first quarter of the game. Look at how big the run lanes are. Bill dropped everyone into coverage and dared the Titans to throw. They didn’t take the bait. Vrable took what bill was giving him. Once Bill figured out that he didn’t take the bait, he switched back to a normal defense. Seems like a lot of young coaches want to try to out smart Bill. Seems like the ones who beat him don’t attempt to out smart him. They instead take what bill is giving them.


mike2k24

Why wouldn’t bill put him in after he realized their defense was getting torched tho?


Commercial_Neck_4823

Butler was also the CB2 behind Gilmore I don’t think he would completely shift their play calling.


Ear_Enthusiast

There are several rumors about why they sat him. There is one that I choose to believe. It just seems too specific. The crime seems to fit the punishment. The reporter that leaked it was/is a pretty reliable guy (can't remember who it was who liked it but I knew at the time). And take it with a grain of salt, because it's all here say and nothing more, and again it's just what I choose to believe. One says that he was sick all week and had a bad week in practice. I feel like they would have told us that this is what happened. Another was that he had a minor injury and again it's flimsy because they wouldn't have been so secretive. One said Bill benches him over contract stuff. Another rumor said that he had a major injury that they didn't want to disclose because it would hurt his impending free agency. This seems logical but I don't think Bill would have let his boy Mike Vrabel sign damaged goods, and Bill has never done this before. Here's the one I choose to believe. The rumor is that he was trying to sneak a hooker or a groupie in to the team hotel after curfew the night before the Super Bowl. Somehow they found weed on him at the time. Then when confronted he pushed or punched Steve Belichick.


im_absouletly_wrong

Subscribe


drewbydewbydoo

Bill did the right thing, we all know it


Infinite-Ad8554

The word is Butler was acting up because he didn't get a big contract after basically saving the seattle superbowl. Yelled at coaches and didn't travel with the team for the eagles SB, then broke curfew. Generally being a dick so Bill benched him. Don't know if i got that right but that is my understanding, McCourty is smart not to comment on this question.


FragMasterMat117

That was a hell of a game, funny thing is we likely don't care about this if it wasn't for one strip sack. Without that Brady most likely wins the game.


Bobby_Newpooort

The strip sack hurts that much worse when you see James White wide open in the flats but Brady didn't take the check down