Malcolm Butler Says Super Bowl Benching Documentary/Book Coming

[patfanken]

The same question should be asked to Butler as well. Why would he come back unless he felt Bill screwed him? What's disappointing about it is that he doesn't seem to be that upset about that day as we are.

it isn't mentioned because it doesn't fit the distorted narrative the haters want to spin.

Bill in his 20+ years here has YET to throw one of his players under the bus. It would have been very easy for him to explain that Butler was mentally or physically unable to play in that game. But that would put Butler in a bad light with him going into FA, but he says NOTHING, takes the heat and Butler gets his big contract from the Titans and under performs on the value of the deal (5yrs/63MM). Which in my view was he was OK but not great like he was being paid to be. After 3 so-so seasons they released him with 2 years left on his contract.

YES a healthy and engaged Malcolm Butler would have helped in the Philly superbowl. But he wasn't and we lost, but if one wants to say that that was the ONLY reason we lost that game, then you clearly don't anything about the game.

 

[venecol]

That's just the media trying to create controversy.

Article quotes PHI players and coaches, Patricia and Butler. The main thrust of the article is explaining PHI strategy going into the game and how they went after Rowe and Chung when they realized Butler wasn't playing. It doesn't provide conjecture as to why Butler was benched but does say the decision played into what PHI was planning to great success. I thought it provided insight into their game plan and how the Pats reacted to it.

 

[venecol]

It's very funny that now Patricia is the one with uncertainty surrounding him.. BB trying to revive Patricia's coaching aspirations actually in my opinion hurt them, and made us a laughing stock last season.. as they say what goes around, comes around

Is it a coincidence that Patricia ended his first run with the Patriots during the 2017 season with the worse defensive performance in Belichick's post season history and also ended the 2022 season with another disaster but on the other side of the ball? Hopefully, it's the last we ever see of Fat Matt around Foxboro. I have my doubts.

 

[venecol]

The same question should be asked to Butler as well. Why would he come back unless he felt Bill screwed him?

Because he wanted to continue his career and Pats gave him a chance. He said on the radio it wasn't smart to burn bridges so he kept mum for all these years.

What's disappointing about it is that he doesn't seem to be that upset about that day as we are.

Why should he be? He had no part in the worse defensive perf. in Belichick's post-season career. He also went on to cash in w/ TEN.

 

[crawhammer]

Evidently what he did was not be prepared to play. It wasn’t a punishment it was not putting a guy in the game who you felt was unprepared.
It was belichicks decision. Butler may give us details why he was unprepared and then you can judge for yourself whether you agree. Creating a conspiracy theory that there is another reason, with absolutely nothing to back it up is silly.

He was on the field for warmups, he was dressed, he was standing on the sideline, and he actually played in the game. That excludes "he was not prepared to play."

The coaching staff had predetermined Malcolm was not going to play on defense at all. And they stuck to it despite their defense being disorganized and incompetent for 4 quarters. There's 0% chance that Bademosi, Richards and Rowe were more prepared to play in that game than Malcolm.

Bademosi - 20% defensive snaps during the regular season (and he had 0 postseason snaps prior to that Super Bowl).

Richards - 26% defensive snaps during the regular season.

Rowe - 49% defensive snaps during the regular season (jumped to 95% snaps in the Super Bowl).

Butler - 98% defensive snaps during the regular season (he played every snap in the Divisional and CG). 0 defensive snaps in the Super Bowl.

 

[h0c2000]

Article quotes PHI players and coaches, Patricia and Butler. The main thrust of the article is explaining PHI strategy going into the game and how they went after Rowe and Chung when they realized Butler wasn't playing. It doesn't provide conjecture as to why Butler was benched but does say the decision played into what PHI was planning to great success. I thought it provided insight into their game plan and how the Pats reacted to it.

“I respect Malcolm’s competitiveness and I am sure that he felt like he could have helped,” Belichick said, via WEEI.com. “I am sure other players felt the same way, but in the end, we have to make the decisions that we feel are best for the football team and that is what we did, that is what I did. That’s really all I can say about it.”

 

[crawhammer]

Bill in his 20+ years here has YET to throw one of his players under the bus. It would have been very easy for him to explain that Butler was mentally or physically unable to play in that game. But that would put Butler in a bad light with him going into FA, but he says NOTHING, takes the heat and Butler gets his big contract from the Titans and under performs on the value of the deal (5yrs/63MM). Which in my view was he was OK but not great like he was being paid to be. After 3 so-so seasons they released him with 2 years left on his contract.

This narrative is comical. BB benched Malcolm because he was protecting Malcolm's FA value. He made the man breakdown into tears on the sideline and then stood him there for 4 quarters while the defense was getting obliterated. The spectacle BB created put Malcolm in a bad light that night. A night in which BB decided Jordan Richards was a better option than Malcolm Butler. Jordan Richards! arguably BB's worst draft pick ever.

 

[venecol]

“I respect Malcolm’s competitiveness and I am sure that he felt like he could have helped,” Belichick said, via WEEI.com. “I am sure other players felt the same way, but in the end, we have to make the decisions that we feel are best for the football team and that is what we did, that is what I did. That’s really all I can say about it.”

Sounds like what Bill said about putting Patricia and Judge in charge of the offense this season. Another monumentally ******ed decision that was NOT best for the team. At least Bill is consistent in his arrogance.

 

[Steve102]

This thread is going down the same roads the old 10k page thread did.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He was on the field for warmups, he was dressed, he was standing on the sideline, and he actually played in the game. That excludes "he was not prepared to play."

Not true. There is such thing as a decoy. There is also such a thing as players who are ill/hurt who can't play stay on the sidelines with their team.

The coaching staff had predetermined Malcolm was not going to play on defense at all. And they stuck to it despite their defense being disorganized and incompetent for 4 quarters. There's 0% chance that Bademosi, Richards and Rowe were more prepared to play in that game than Malcolm.

Bademosi - 20% defensive snaps during the regular season (and he had 0 postseason snaps prior to that Super Bowl).

Richards - 26% defensive snaps during the regular season.

Rowe - 49% defensive snaps during the regular season (jumped to 95% snaps in the Super Bowl).

James Harrison played a ton as well.

You can be prepared and still get outplayed.

Butler - 98% defensive snaps during the regular season (he played every snap in the Divisional and CG). 0 defensive snaps in the Super Bowl.

Logic would tell you MB's situation drastically changed between the AFCCG and the SB.

 

[State]

Maybe Malcolm had work done in the middle. I’m thinking he became Orthodox and had a brit milah. Just ask Abraham how those circumcisions feel for three days.

 

[Steve102]

Maybe Malcolm had work done in the middle.

True story: After the SB, we did a youth football night somewhere down in Mass., and he was the star "coach". There was a ton of kids and a ton of coaches. At the end, we did a big group photo, and Malcolm says "I am not sure where I should be." And me, seeing an opportunity for an all-time Dad joke, quipped " I dunno man, I would think over there, in the middle. *pause* Ha! Malcolm in the middle!"

My work here is finished. Be sure to tip your bartenders and waitresses.

 

[203Pat]

Evidently what he did was not be prepared to play. It wasn’t a punishment it was not putting a guy in the game who you felt was unprepared.
It was belichicks decision. Butler may give us details why he was unprepared and then you can judge for yourself whether you agree. Creating a conspiracy theory that there is another reason, with absolutely nothing to back it up is silly.

There is no universe that exists where Butler is less prepared to play than Johnathan Badmosi and Jordan Richards.

 

[crawhammer]

Not true. There is such thing as a decoy. There is also such a thing as players who are ill/hurt who can't play stay on the sidelines with their team.

If a player is too ill or injured to play then he is not standing on the sideline in full uniform (helmet on). Butler wasn't even listed on the final injury report for the game. Plus you say "can't play" when he actually played in the game. Just not on defense where he clearly could have helped the team.

Decoy?? Come on, now you're talking crazy nonsense.

James Harrison played a ton as well.

You can be prepared and still get outplayed.

What does this have to do with Butler? You can't get outplayed while you're standing on the sideline. You can get outcoached from the sideline (as we witnessed all night).

Logic would tell you MB's situation drastically changed between the AFCCG and the SB.

Sure, if you're talking about his good will with the coaching staff. Whatever he did, Bill didn't like it, so Bill punished him (and it backfired bigtime on the defense).

 

[Real fan 02]

Is it a coincidence that Patricia ended his first run with the Patriots during the 2017 season with the worse defensive performance in Belichick's post season history and also ended the 2022 season with another disaster but on the other side of the ball? Hopefully, it's the last we ever see of Fat Matt around Foxboro. I have my doubts.

Your right, I'm sure that BB will have him tucked away somewhere in the office.. isn't he supposedly having something to do with contracts? First he's a disaster calling offense now he's supposed to be in charge of guys contracts!

 

[RobertWeathers]

If a player is too ill or injured to play then he is not standing on the sideline in full uniform (helmet on).

Sure he can. Might have had an unreported concussion. Might have had a virus. Who knows. All we know is he said he wasn't 100% dialed in that week.

Butler wasn't even listed on the final injury report for the game.

Correct. It was touch and go. We do know he wasn't starting and running w/ the 3rd stringers during practice

Plus you say "can't play" when he actually played in the game.

I didn't say he couldn't play. He played a snap. He didn't play on defense. We have no idea he couldn't have played on D because he didn't.

Just not on defense where he clearly could have helped the team.

Probably and we will never know.

Decoy?? Come on, now you're talking crazy nonsense.

It was too late to deactivate him and they'd rather leave the Iggles clueless to what was actually happening with MB. That is a decoy which is by definition a false attraction.

What does this have to do with Butler?

Depending on the game/matchups/injuries some player play more. Some play less. You should know this.

You can't get outplayed while you're standing on the sideline.

Agree. Not sure what that has to do with what I said.

You can get outcoached from the sideline (as we witnessed all night).

We have no idea if BB was outcoached. We know the NEP were outplayed.

Sure, if you're talking about his good will with the coaching staff. Whatever he did, Bill didn't like it, so Bill punished him (and it backfired bigtime on the defense).

What does good will have to do with what I said? You have zero proof MB was punished. You are making **** up.

 

[patfanken]

Bill Belichick is arrogant, smug, and a losing coach without Tom Brady at his side. Lest we forget, Coach Bill is so arrogant that his coaches think they can win a Super Bowl with a middle of the road QB.

And yet they DID win at least one superbowl with a middle of the road QB in 2001 - Remember they won with an offense that put up 16 (in OT) 17, and 13 pits in the playoffs. They also won the TO battle in ALL 3 of their playoff games. It was the DEFENSE that won that superbowl. That last FG drive might have given the John Madden goose bumps, but remember prior to that drive Brady barely had 100yds in passing and ended up with 167

They ended the 2003 regular season with the 12th ranked offense and the 1st ranked defense. In the first playoff game they managed 17 pts and 201 passing yds. Brady barely completed just 50% of his passes and the game winning drive was 8yds. The next game the offense managed just ONE TD and 22 pts despite getting FIVE TO's from the Colts (great Defense) Imagine your ire if Mac had managed just 22 points (1 TD, 5FG's and a safety). You'd have KILLED him for not producing in the red zone, but that's what Brady did. One COULD say he was just a run of the mill guy back then.

In 2004 Brady was the 10th ranked QB in the regular season in passing yds behind guys like Jake Plummer, Trent Green and the illustrious Marc Bulger. In the playoffs he averaged just under 200ypg (587) and just under 2 TDpg (5) and perhaps his best stat that post season was his zero picks. Less of a case of a run of the mill guy, but there were a LOT of non-pats fans who believed that's exactly what he was, despite the 3 rings.

It wouldn't be unfair at all to look back at those 3 superbowls and say they were won with great defenses and a middle of the road offense run by a middle of the road game managing QB.....who would eventually continue to improve and became the greatest of all time. BUT there weren't ANY who would have looked at those first 5 seasons and have said that they were looking at the greatest of all time.

The fact is that there have been several superbowls that have been won by "middle of the road" QB's. BTW- this isn't to demean Brady, just pointing out that he didn't **** ice cream every year he was a patriot. In those early years he was a good QB who seemed to be very clutch most of the time. I remember having to defend him all the time to fans of different sites I visited in those days. Clearly you have forgotten, FC or are too young to remember or are too old and all the Brady years have blurred together. .

 

[crawhammer]

Sure he is. Might have had an unreported concussion.

HE PLAYED IN THE GAME. HE DID NOT HAVE A CONCUSSION.

What does good will have to do with what I said. You have zero proof MB was punished. You are making **** up.

You're saying he played with a concussion. No one said he was injured after the game, not Butler, not Belichick, not anyone associated with the team. At least speculating he was punished for some misconduct (which has been widely rumored) aligns with him being in uniform, on the sideline, and actually playing on ST (while being excluded from every defensive snap).

We have no idea if BB was outcoached. We know the NEP were outplayed.

The Eagles had the ball for 35 minutes, 540 yards, and 41 points. That doesn't tell you anything about the coaching? Especially considering the head coach had decided "it was in the best interest of the team" to bench a key defender.

 

[Steve102]

BTW- this isn't to demean Brady, just pointing out that he didn't **** ice cream every year he was a patriot.

That's some funny chit right there.

 

[crawhammer]

It wouldn't be unfair at all to look back at those 3 superbowls and say they were won with great defenses and a middle of the road offense run by a middle of the road game managing QB.....who would eventually continue to improve and became the greatest of all time. BUT there weren't ANY who would have looked at those first 5 seasons and have said that they were looking at the greatest of all time.

Brady's first 5 seasons:

3 Pro Bowls
NFL MVP votes in 2003 & 2005
NFL leader in TDs (2002)
NFL leader in yards (2005)
4 division titles
16 game-winning drives (regular season)
5 game-winning drives (postseason)
11-1 postseason record
3 Super Bowl rings
2 Super Bowl MVPs

That's not a "middle of the road game managing QB." It's a HOFer had he retired right then.