Butler denies reports he was benched for team rule violation
New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler has denied reports that he was benched on defense for the entirety of Super Bowl LII partly due to a violation of team rules.
"During Super Bowl week I never attended any concert, missed curfew, or participated (in) any of the ridiculous activities being reported," Butler wrote in a statement posted Tuesday on Twitter.
The statement can be read in its entirety below:
— Malcolm CB Butler (@Mac_BZ) February 6, 2018
Butler also shared the statement on Instagram. Tom Brady, as well as a host of other Patriots players, liked the post, according to Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal.
Brady also replied to the post:
Tom Brady on Malcolm Butler’s statement on Instagram pic.twitter.com/acNVX33mAf
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 6, 2018
Butler played one snap on special teams in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles after starting all but one game for the Patriots over the last three seasons.
Head coach Bill Belichick refused to go into details about the reasoning behind Butler's benching. After the Super Bowl, Belichick noted that he respected the defensive back's competitiveness and said he'd made the decision with the best interests of the team in mind.
Butler is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.