Cardinals release Butler from retired list, CB could reportedly return

The Arizona Cardinals released former Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler from the retired list Thursday, relinquishing his rights in the event he returns to the NFL, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Butler signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals in 2021 but landed on the retired list before the season began. The 31-year-old has been mulling a comeback following his year off, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Butler made the Pro Bowl in 2015 as a member of the New England Patriots. He famously intercepted Russell Wilson on the goal line at the end of Super Bowl XLIX a season earlier to preserve the victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

After playing for the Patriots from 2014-17 and winning a pair of Super Bowls, Butler signed a five-year, $61-million contract with the Tennessee Titans in free agency. He pulled down nine interceptions in three seasons before the Titans released him in 2021.