In the wake of last night’s Super Bowl loss, Patriots fans are wondering what happened to star cornerback Malcolm Butler. Despite playing almost every defensive snap of the regular season, Butler saw zero time on the field last night. And in a game when the Patriots’ defense couldn’t quite handle the explosive offense of the Philadelphia Eagles, the absence of a key defensive player could have had huge implications.
Where Is Malcolm Butler?
After the team’s 41-33 loss last night, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was asked why Butler did not play. Belichick’s answer was relatively vague.
“I appreciate the question, but it would be a much longer discussion,” he said. “There are a lot of things that go into that. In the end, the final decision is what I said it was.”
Not surprisingly, that answer hasn’t satisfied many Pats fans. In fact, Belichick’s seeming refusal to reveal what really happened has raised even more questions.
A family friend who I trust, is well connected in law enforcement and was in Minny this week with local cops told me Butler missed curfew, got caught with weed when he came back late to hotel, and subsequently had a meltdown on coaches
— Joey Cartolano (@JoeyPigskins) February 5, 2018
But now, rumors are beginning to circulate that it may have had something to do with weed. Earlier today, a Tweet surfaced claiming that Butler got into trouble with Belichick for missing a team curfew in the days leading up to the Super Bowl.
While missing curfew could certainly have landed Butler in hot water with the team, the Tweet alleged that Butler was also caught in possession of cannabis. With this news now surfacing, many are speculating that Belichick benched the cornerback as a disciplinary action for possessing weed.
So far, this allegation has not been confirmed. But shortly after the original Tweet started picking up attention, the author of the message doubled down on his position.
“I am not a reporter. I am not accusing anyone of anything,” he Tweeted. “Was passing along info from a friend that was the best explanation I have heard and thought would bring some clarity to fellow Pats fans. Please stop making this more than that.”
Final Hit: NFL Player Malcolm Butler Benched For Smoking Weed
So far, neither Belichick nor Butler have denied or confirmed this allegation. But one thing’s for sure: Butler is clearly not happy about how things transpired.
“They gave up on me,” Butler said after the game. “Fuck. It is what it is.” He also said that he “could have changed that game” by adding more strength to the Patriots’ defense as the team struggled to contain the Eagles’ offense.
At this point, the reports about Butler missing curfew and being caught in possession of weed have yet to be substantiated. But with no clear explanations coming from the Patriots organization, it currently stands as the only concrete explanation for what fans and analysts alike see as an unusual—and potentially costly—decision during last night’s Super Bowl.
