Is this why Malcolm Butler didn't play in the Super Bowl?

[Ring 6]

You're correct, Bill would not play a player with a bad attitude, even if it cost us the SB. Bill shipped Bennett out of town for messing with one of his coaches.

Butler told his kid off and so he benched him to teach him and the rest of the team that you don't mess with little Steven.

Can you imagine how Pats fans would react if this came out? There's a reason why this has been so secretive. Bill's arrogance cost us a three-peat.

I’m not sure where you get that from. Sound like you made it up.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He was also an outlier in that his crazy abuse of drugs and alcohol and his off-field antics didn't affect his game. That alone is legendary.

BB told the story in, "The Two Bills"..

BB- "Coach, thought you should know Lawrence was late to the defensive meeting".

Tuna- "Why did you start without him?".

 

[Pape]

Why didn't Malcolm play? Don't know, wont know til one of the two writes a book.

I would wager its was for multiple reasons...

could he have been sick & not practicing well? Maybe... does'nt sound like the whole story though... If that was the case, he would have been inactive... and quite frankly if BB thought a player who ws sick could help him win, he'd find a way to duct tape an iv bag into his pad system and run him out there...

Something absolutely happened. He broke some rule / got caught / the team found out about it. I am spit balling here, but maybe he lost his playbook? Left it in a cab? Forgot it at Starbucks? whatever the reason ... whatever team rule he broke, it was significant enough that he was benched for the game.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yup, that's another good one.
I'm also a little curious about why he took it easy against the Fins in 2015. That cost us home field in the playoffs.

These and MB are the 3 big on the field decisions ive had a major gripe with. Which is pretty impressive considering how many crucial moments/ decisions weve faced in 20 years. Ive even been ok with 4th and 2, and ive considered myself’team bill’ since ‘the split’. But these 3 were true misfires imo, it happens even to the greatest.

 

[ralmat55]

No Wozzy. The revisionism is your take. Butler’s benching did matter. Just how Belichick handled it alone had a significant impact on the Pats losing that game.

Butler doesn’t know. Only Belichick knows the real reason, and he’ll never say. My guess is the reason involves selfishness on the part of the guy whose sycophants say “always acts in the best interest of the team “. I suspect that’s how Brady, Gronk, Amendola and others see it as well.

 

[aluminum seats]

Butler sucked in 2017, he was disgruntled over his contract and let it effect his play then possibly got sick the week of the Super Bowl or made a stink depending on what you believe.

Bill screwed up, but not necessarily that game. He screwed up that preseason when the Saints offered him a 2nd for Butler and he held out for a first which they balked at. If BB screwed up in the Super Bowl it was not activating Alan Branch coming off injury and we still don’t know if he could have played.

One CB who had given up the most TD’s and Yards in the NFL amongst all starters that season was not going to change the outcome of that game. The WR’s did nothing once they manned Gilmore on Alshon Jeffrey anyhow. They only success the Eagles had passing was to Zach Ertz in the second half because Patrick Chung suffered a broken arm to end the half.

Donte Hightower, Alan Branch, Jon Jones, Patrick Chung and Nate Ebner being injured is what lost that game. The Eagles controlled the line of scrimmage and rushed for near 200 yards. Butlers benching is the biggest nothing burger in revisionist Patriots history. The better healthier team won… it’s hard to win rings. Just because the Patriots made it look easy doesn’t make it so. Get over it.

It takes real mental gymnastics to disregard the effect of benching a starter in the secondary when Nick Foles is passing for 400 yards. Yes, Butler had dropped off from being one of the best in the league in 2016, but he was light years better than who Belichick was choosing to play. It's not "revisionist history" when anyone with functioning sight could see what was happening as the game was being played.

 

[RobertWeathers]

No Wozzy. The revisionism is your take. Butler’s benching did matter. Just how Belichick handled it alone had a significant impact on the Pats losing that game.

Butler doesn’t know. Only Belichick knows the real reason, and he’ll never say. My guess is the reason involves selfishness on the part of the guy whose sycophants say “always acts in the best interest of the team “. I suspect that’s how Brady, Gronk, Amendola and others see it as well.

Butler does know. He is on record as saying he wasn't 100% dialed in and focused during prep week.

If you still want to hold BB accountable that's fine but Malcolm knows exactly why he was benched.

 

[wpdougie2180]

I always find it funny/sad that some fans say Butler wouldn't make a difference or couldn't have made 1 play to change the outcome when they all know he did that exact thing in SB 49. Not saying it would happen again but the entire reason it even happened in the 1st place is because the 2 players in front of him were getting destroyed and the coaching staff made an adjustment and inserted him into the game. The irony of the situation is lost on so many, 2 DBs (Badamosi & Richard) were playing awful and no adjustments was made in SB 52 to insert him and fans say no way Butler COULD have made a difference.

 

[1960Pats]

These and MB are the 3 big on the field decisions ive had a major gripe with. Which is pretty impressive considering how many crucial moments/ decisions weve faced in 20 years. Ive even been ok with 4th and 2, and ive considered myself’team bill’ since ‘the split’. But these 3 were true misfires imo, it happens even to the greatest.

It really is amazing how few mistakes Bill makes. Some NYFL HCs make more mistakes in a game than Bill makes in a season.

His drafting has left a lot to be desired though. I hope they hit with Jones. It would be wicked pissah if the Pats re-emerged as a team to beat in the AFC. I can see Goody and all of his pals choking on their eggnog this Thanksgiving if the Pats are in the hunt.

 

[IllegalContact]

Butler does know. He is on record as saying he wasn't 100% dialed in and focused during prep week.

If you still want to hold BB accountable that's fine but Malcolm knows exactly why he was benched.

valid point.......but you don't think hubris had a play into why Butler did not play a single defensive snap? you don't think at some point giving him a chance to make a stop is not as BB says 'putting the team in the best position to win the game'?

this is not the first time.....even though he eventually got to play, Tully Banta Cain was benched in the 2006 AFCC and ERic Alexander got his only start in his entire NFL career.

 

[libra957]

Ummm so he had covid?

 

[Wozzy]

No Wozzy. The revisionism is your take. Butler’s benching did matter. Just how Belichick handled it alone had a significant impact on the Pats losing that game.

Butler doesn’t know. Only Belichick knows the real reason, and he’ll never say. My guess is the reason involves selfishness on the part of the guy whose sycophants say “always acts in the best interest of the team “. I suspect that’s how Brady, Gronk, Amendola and others see it as well.

He hardly practiced all week and was limited in the final padded practice.

After hearing this, and as part of continued efforts to gain more clarity on the Butler decision, I reached out to Patriots spokesman Stacey James in an effort to confirm if Butler had been a full participant in practice.
James relayed that Butler, who had been on the injury report with an illness after arriving one day later than his teammates because of flu-like symptoms, had participated in fewer than half of the team's snaps in the practice (Wednesday, Jan. 31) being discussed. Butler's official designation on the injury report that day was as a "limited participant," which was also reflected in the official pool report. - Mike Reiss

www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4811829/revisiting-malcolm-butlers-participation-in-big-practice-before-super-bowl

Once again, the truth is not as interesting as the lie.

 

[RobertWeathers]

valid point.......but you don't think hubris had a play into why Butler did not play a single defensive snap? you don't think at some point giving him a chance to make a stop is not as BB says 'putting the team in the best position to win the game'?

this is not the first time.....even though he eventually got to play, Tully Banta Cain was benched in the 2006 AFCC and ERic Alexander got his only start in his entire NFL career.

Hubris? No. Stubbornness? Absolutely.

To this day I believe BB felt deeply with every bone in his body by playing MB he would have violated a core covenant of his program which is if a player doesn't practice well, doesn't prepare well and isn't ready to play then they don't play- period. MB was not ready to play thus BB didn't play him. Additionally because BB felt MB was not ready, he didn't think he'd make a difference in the game. Thats been debated to death.

IMO playing MB was worth a try but I understand why BB did what he did and don't fault him for it.

With Rodney out, BB wanted more speed on D vs the Colts. TBC didn't have any. Could TBC helped w/ the pass rush? Yep. Whatever.

 

[Wozzy]

Butler does know. He is on record as saying he wasn't 100% dialed in and focused during prep week.

If you still want to hold BB accountable that's fine but Malcolm knows exactly why he was benched.

It’s why he was filmed crying before the game… a pro isn’t crying unless he knows he screwed over his teammates.

 

[sb1]

Aside from the Butler debacle, the first thing I'd ask is why did he go for it on 4th and 13 in Super Bowl 42 instead of letting Gostkowski try 48 yards in a dome.

Or why he didn’t check with the league first before taping the Jets sideline in the 2007 opener.

Both that and the Butler benching were fireable for any other coach.

 

[1960Pats]

No Wozzy. The revisionism is your take. Butler’s benching did matter. Just how Belichick handled it alone had a significant impact on the Pats losing that game.

Butler doesn’t know. Only Belichick knows the real reason, and he’ll never say. My guess is the reason involves selfishness on the part of the guy whose sycophants say “always acts in the best interest of the team “. I suspect that’s how Brady, Gronk, Amendola and others see it as well.

I watched Brady and Gronk in a video in the Brady forum and they seem to be doing fine. It showed that there may be another way to win without the iron fist.

 

[Wozzy]

It takes real mental gymnastics to disregard the effect of benching a starter in the secondary when Nick Foles is passing for 400 yards. Yes, Butler had dropped off from being one of the best in the league in 2016, but he was light years better than who Belichick was choosing to play. It's not "revisionist history" when anyone with functioning sight could see what was happening as the game was being played.

Yeah… 350 pound starting NT Alan Branch was out due to injury, 265 pound LB and best overall defender Donta Hightower was out, nickel corner Jon Jones was out, starting SS Patrick Chung got knocked out by halftime… but the statistically worst starting corner in the NFL in 2017 coming off a week of practice he missed with the flu… he made all the difference.

Again, after the half they put Gilmore on Alshon Jeffrey and the WR’s barely made a scratch… in the second half it was only Foles to Ertz giving them fits… and only because Chung and his back up were injured at SS. Yeah… takes real mental gymnastics.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

It’s why he was filmed crying before the game… a pro isn’t crying unless he knows he screwed over his teammates.

Disagree. It was a guy who really wanted to win and wanted to play and was frustrated and bewildered why he was benched. NOT a guy who was checked out or not taking the Superbowl seriously. Even his teammates after the game said they had no idea he was not going to play. Nice job confusing the entire seconday an hour before the Superbowl. So let's stop pretending this was the game plan, it was not well thought out at all.

 

[aluminum seats]

a pro isn’t crying unless he knows he screwed over his teammates

No, there are other reasons a pro might be crying. Obviously.

Yeah… 350 pound starting NT Alan Branch was out due to injury, 265 pound LB and best overall defender Donta Hightower was out, nickel corner Jon Jones was out, starting SS Patrick Chung got knocked out by halftime… but the statistically worst starting corner in the NFL in 2017 coming off a week of practice he missed with the flu… he made all the difference.

Again, after the half they put Gilmore on Alshon Jeffrey and the WR’s barely made a scratch… in the second half it was only Foles to Ertz giving them fits… and only because Chung and his back up were injured at SS. Yeah… takes real mental gymnastics.

The Pats defense being battered doesn't mitigate Belichick's mistake, it makes it worse. And no, Ertz's 34 receiving yards wasn't the only problem, weird to suggest it was.

 

[mb6592]

Hubris? No. Stubbornness? Absolutely.

To this day I believe BB felt deeply with every bone in his body by playing MB he would have violated a core covenant of his program which is if a player doesn't practice well, doesn't prepare well and isn't ready to play then they don't play- period. MB was not ready to play thus BB didn't play him. Additionally because BB felt MB was not ready, he didn't think he'd make a difference in the game. Thats been debated to death.

IMO playing MB was worth a try but I understand why BB did what he did and don't fault him for it.

This assessment rings, by far, the most true.