Malcolm Butler: SB LII and 'a Perfect Storm of Issues'

[Rastic]

I was not alone in surprise that Butler effectively did not play in the Super Bowl. Even not starting, as Nick Foles continued to keep just out of reach in the back and forth, passing for 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 TD rec, but when the Eagles seemed to lose some momentum and then lost the lead - fresh legs of one of their top defenders seemed like a easy choice. Yet Butler played one snap and that was on special teams. His tears during the National Anthem make much more sense after the game.

Rumors have swirled and now some thread of truth seems to be working its way out even through the Patriots are tight-lipped and Butler has not said anything behind their reasoning either.

Ian Rappaport has tweeted

My understanding is the benching of #Patriots CB Malcolm Butler happened because of a perfect storm of issues: Sickness, a rough week of practice, and a minor rule violation believed to be related to curfew. A complicated matter.

Sickness and practice aside, Belichick is a well-known stickler for the rules, so Rappaport's use of 'minor' does not have much context outside of what Belichick thinks.

Now Brandon Browner has posted to Instagram yesterday saying (bold mine):

He not the first to get caught with weed, 🤷🏾*♂️, curfew also meant we are not allowed to have guest especially women. I’ve ate chicken(Popeyes) in the room with a player and his wife after curfew. Bill seen that look in Toms eyes last night and thought we can win without our role players. Tom played the greatest game last name in super bowl history (statistically). But when you do wrong, nothing good can come out of that. Tom did everything he could do last night. Tom Brady was the goat last night. Malcolm’s presence was missed and felt last night. #facts

If true - if - then wow!

I don't know if this is the popular opinion however I can respect Belichick sticking to his guns on this. Tactically, this may have been the same as a great general falling on his own sword instead of making use of ever resource available to achieve victory. This is ironic considering the... oh, how to put this discretely?... questionable actions the Patriots have been involved in, most notably during Spy Gate.

People have a way of compartmentalizing, even justifying some behavior while not allowing other behavior. If anything, BB seems to like to flirt with the boundaries of what is allowed - find that edge where things are greyish, and exploit it.

With respect to Butler this seems totally in character for Belichick. To him this is not a grey area. Some rules are so black and white, so absolute, that 'minor' is irrelevant. He has a reputation of being stubborn, a reputation of demanding people 'just do their job', you fumble on the field and you sit. This isn't a secret to New England that we are just now hearing about, everybody knows this. Everybody.

Butler said the team gave up on him. Browner much as says the same. Many people are pointing the finger at Belichick for making the wrong decision.

If this is true, shouldn't the question be whether Butler gave up on the team - letting them and his coaches down?

I don't know what I would have done in that situation, but then I've never been nor will ever be. BB has been in the SB eight times now and, who knows, might be again. You don't get there that many times for being soft and pushed over. Tactically, it was the wrong choice. But in the bigger picture? It sums up everything that has made BB who he is as a 5-time SB winning coach.

[broncoslover115]

All I know is that Patriot Nation are questioning this move and believe it was based on vindicatedness rather than a football move. And they are pissed.

BB wanted to humiliate Malcolm Butler and he succeeded. Humiliation and shame are two of the worst emotions any of us feels. They prevents us from telling the truth.

[Spice 1]

I was not alone in surprise that Butler effectively did not play in the Super Bowl. Even not starting, as Nick Foles continued to keep just out of reach in the back and forth, passing for 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 TD rec, but when the Eagles seemed to lose some momentum and then lost the lead - fresh legs of one of their top defenders seemed like a easy choice. Yet Butler played one snap and that was on special teams. His tears during the National Anthem make much more sense after the game.

Rumors have swirled and now some thread of truth seems to be working its way out even through the Patriots are tight-lipped and Butler has not said anything behind their reasoning either.

Ian Rappaport has tweeted

My understanding is the benching of #Patriots CB Malcolm Butler happened because of a perfect storm of issues: Sickness, a rough week of practice, and a minor rule violation believed to be related to curfew. A complicated matter.

Sickness and practice aside, Belichick is a well-known stickler for the rules, so Rappaport's use of 'minor' does not have much context outside of what Belichick thinks.

Now Brandon Browner has posted to Instagram yesterday saying (bold mine):

He not the first to get caught with weed, 🤷🏾*♂️, curfew also meant we are not allowed to have guest especially women. I’ve ate chicken(Popeyes) in the room with a player and his wife after curfew. Bill seen that look in Toms eyes last night and thought we can win without our role players. Tom played the greatest game last name in super bowl history (statistically). But when you do wrong, nothing good can come out of that. Tom did everything he could do last night. Tom Brady was the goat last night. Malcolm’s presence was missed and felt last night. #facts

If true - if - then wow!

I don't know if this is the popular opinion however I can respect Belichick sticking to his guns on this. Tactically, this may have been the same as a great general falling on his own sword instead of making use of ever resource available to achieve victory. This is ironic considering the... oh, how to put this discretely?... questionable actions the Patriots have been involved in, most notably during Spy Gate.

People have a way of compartmentalizing, even justifying some behavior while not allowing other behavior. If anything, BB seems to like to flirt with the boundaries of what is allowed - find that edge where things are greyish, and exploit it.

With respect to Butler this seems totally in character for Belichick. To him this is not a grey area. Some rules are so black and white, so absolute, that 'minor' is irrelevant. He has a reputation of being stubborn, a reputation of demanding people 'just do their job', you fumble on the field and you sit. This isn't a secret to New England that we are just now hearing about, everybody knows this. Everybody.

Butler said the team gave up on him. Browner much as says the same. Many people are pointing the finger at Belichick for making the wrong decision.

If this is true, shouldn't the question be whether Butler gave up on the team - letting them and his coaches down?

I don't know what I would have done in that situation, but then I've never been nor will ever be. BB has been in the SB eight times now and, who knows, might be again. You don't get there that many times for being soft and pushed over. Tactically, it was the wrong choice. But in the bigger picture? It sums up everything that has made BB who he is as a 5-time SB winning coach.

If he got caught with some weed, then he's just an idiot, and probably deserved what he got. I know a lot of guys who can't go two days w/o smoking, and it cracks me up. Doing that with tobacco, IMO, is way harder and I've done it countless times. If it were me, hell just give me 10mg of Vicodin and I'm good. Before a game? Just give me 2.5 to take the edge off. You don't want to take a lot, because you'll get stupid. I don't know what the NFL policy on Toradol is now, but that stuff turns you into Iron Man.

As far as guys like BB go. I get it. I understand why he is as strict as he is, and if you take anything away from Pederson's post game speech, he's generally the same way. Uniformity, complicity, professionalism. I get it, I really do. Here's the thing for me, though. As Stephen A pointed out today, and I can't believe he actually said something coherent enough to quote. You got guys like Hernandez, who come to work on time every day and play the discipline game, but whoops, turns out he's a serial killer. It reminds me of the guy, and everybody knows this guy I'm about to talk about, who comes to work 15-30 minutes early every day. His uniform is sharp, and he's constantly thinking of things to do. Problem is, he doesn't ACTUALLY do anything all day. He just walks around moving stuff back and forth, and performing redundant, monotonous tasks that serve no tangible purpose. Give me the dog. The guy who might be late once in a while, and carries himself like a drunk sailor half the time, because most of the time that guy is a difference maker. The other guy is a phony.

I'm not going to go against BB though, given his track record. Corporations should probably be implementing his leadership into their business model. Just a little buyer beware however, because not everybody has a Tom Brady punching the time clock.

[broncolee]

If it was disciplinary reasons for weed and women, then it seems a bit much.

Butler is a free agent, so the game was the only way to enforce discipline. It seems that not starting but still playing would have been a better way to go, in that scenario.

[L.M.]

I don't know if this is the popular opinion however I can respect Belichick sticking to his guns on this. Tactically, this may have been the same as a great general falling on his own sword instead of making use of ever resource available to achieve victory. This is ironic considering the... oh, how to put this discretely?... questionable actions the Patriots have been involved in, most notably during Spy Gate.

People have a way of compartmentalizing, even justifying some behavior while not allowing other behavior. If anything, BB seems to like to flirt with the boundaries of what is allowed - find that edge where things are greyish, and exploit it.

With respect to Butler this seems totally in character for Belichick. To him this is not a grey area. Some rules are so black and white, so absolute, that 'minor' is irrelevant. He has a reputation of being stubborn, a reputation of demanding people 'just do their job', you fumble on the field and you sit. This isn't a secret to New England that we are just now hearing about, everybody knows this. Everybody.

Butler said the team gave up on him. Browner much as says the same. Many people are pointing the finger at Belichick for making the wrong decision.

If this is true, shouldn't the question be whether Butler gave up on the team - letting them and his coaches down?

I don't know what I would have done in that situation, but then I've never been nor will ever be. BB has been in the SB eight times now and, who knows, might be again. You don't get there that many times for being soft and pushed over. Tactically, it was the wrong choice. But in the bigger picture? It sums up everything that has made BB who he is as a 5-time SB winning coach.

I think many people in their 20's are still immature, irresponsible and mistake-prone to varying degrees, and that should be understood. Not as an excuse, just as an explanation, and I wouldn't equate that to "giving up on the team" at all.

The decision to bench Butler doesn't go to Bill's credit in any way, shape or form. Being hard-nosed and a stickler to his rules (not the League's -haha), and rigidity in general is not a good trait for a general when the battle is on and the objective is victory. Flexibility is the trait that's needed, and Bill usually has that as his historically superb half-time adjustments have proven over the years, but not in this case. Discipline could have still been exercised but in a different way rather than benching one of his key defenders -the clutch "heroic savior" of SB 49- in SB 52. Perhaps doing so financially and/or a deferred benching for the first game of the regular season.

I'm glad Belicheat did it though. Congratulations again to the Eagles!!!

[Rastic]

I think many people in their 20's are still immature, irresponsible and mistake-prone to varying degrees, and that should be understood. Not as an excuse, just as an explanation, and I wouldn't equate that to "giving up on the team" at all.

The decision to bench Butler doesn't go to Bill's credit in any way, shape or form. Being hard-nosed and a stickler to his rules (not the League's -haha), and rigidity in general is not a good trait for a general when the battle is on and the objective is victory. Flexibility is the trait that's needed, and Bill usually has that as his historically superb half-time adjustments have proven over the years, but not in this case. Discipline could have still been exercised but in a different way rather than benching one of his key defenders -the clutch "heroic savior" of SB 49- in SB 52. Perhaps doing so financially and/or a deferred benching for the first game of the regular season.

I'm glad Belicheat did it though. Congratulations again to the Eagles!!!

Good points.

To be clear, I am not justifying Belichick. I still look back and think it odd - and like BL mentioned, it sounds almost vindictive in a way.

It's more to the point of what makes BB, or any great leader, tick. He is who he is and in his mind, I get the impression, these are decisions he would make 100% of the time because that is how he operates and how he operates is in part of what has led him to where he is in life. As I see it, it was about Belichick being true to himself and justifying his decision to himself.

There are dangers in being a push over - a short career most notable. But, what I think I'm seeing from most and I agree, there are dangers in being too stubborn, too clinical, too disconnected from the effects of stubbornness and rigidness.

I think we can all say without doubt, the players in the Patriots LR will always think twice before crossing the coach.

What about the potential fallout over this? What does Kraft think? What does Brady think? There have been rumors about some tension between the three, mostly with Kraft / Brady growing frustrated with Belichick. This can't help and can easily be a (another?) wedge that might push things in one direction or another.

Interesting.

[broncoslover115]

If it was for a drug or a team violation then seat his butt down. You don't let him dress and be on the sidelines so you can humiliate him. That was not necessary. It was personal and unnecessary. It was vindictive and mean.

And let's get honest about those Pats. Last year Chandler Jones took synthetic weed at Gronk's house and got so out of it that he called the cops and reported himself. He still played.

Malcolm Butler called the Pats out about his contract this year so BB sat his butt down in the SB, despite the fact that had he played, NE most likely would have won the SB.

Brady, despite all his claims about TB12, was so insecure, begged Kraft to ship off Jimmy G, despite BB' wishes.

Seems to me, Brady's ego is that solid when he's faced with his heir apparent.

[Peanut]

I think that maybe we haven't seen or heard everything that went on behind the scenes. It's rarely just one person in the wrong. Ultimately, it's the team that got caught in the middle.

If we hear Butler's side of it, is it going to be the total truth? Or just his version of it? I doubt BB will ever elaborate on his decision.

[GMTD]

If it was for a drug or a team violation then seat his butt down. You don't let him dress and be on the sidelines so you can humiliate him. That was not necessary. It was personal and unnecessary. It was vindictive and mean.

And let's get honest about those Pats. Last year Chandler Jones took synthetic weed at Gronk's house and got so out of it that he called the cops and reported himself. He still played.

Malcolm Butler called the Pats out about his contract this year so BB sat his butt down in the SB, despite the fact that had he played, NE most likely would have won the SB.

Brady, despite all his claims about TB12, was so insecure, begged Kraft to ship off Jimmy G, despite BB' wishes.

Seems to me, Brady's ego is that solid when he's faced with his heir apparent.

That's the difficulty with the strict code approach. If it doesn't apply to absolutely everyone, there will occasionally be some friction in the dressing room.

One thing I do know, however, is that unless Butler hits free agency we will never find out what triggered his punishment. BB never betrays dressing room confidences, the Pats as an organisation never do either. At least as far as my memory serves.

[broncoslover115]

It's been said that the Boston reporters believe that BB is the one that leaked all the stuff to ESPN about TB12 and what's gone down regarding the "tension" in their locker room this year.

And while we will never might know what happened with Malcolm Butler, some of his teammates have "liked" his tweet on instgram that calls out BB.

BB is being raked over the coals by the Boston sports media for it because there is no logic to dressing him but telling him he's not playing right before the National Anthem.

Also, people are questioning BB about his GM move, or lack there of, for not taking a first round draft pick for Jimmy G from Cleveland. They believe that would be a fireable offense.

The Boston sports media believe that something weird is something going on with BB....Sitting Butler, mismanaging the Jimmy G trade..

[Peanut]

It's been said that that the Boston reporters believe that BB is the one that leaked all the stuff about TB12 and what's gone down regarding the "tension" in their locker room this year.

And while we will never might know what happened with Malcolm Butler, some of his teammates have "liked" his tweet on instgram that calls out BB.

Also, people are questioning BB about his GM move, or lack there of, for not taking a first round draft pick for Jimmy G from Cleveland. They believe that would be a fireable offense.

The Boston sports media believe that something weird is something going on with BB....Sitting Butler, mismanaging the Jimmy G trade..

I'm sure you're hearing a lot more than the rest of us not in MA (you're our insight reporter for the Pats ). I think there's going to be some interesting things happening during this off season for them.

[Rastic]

I'm sure you're hearing a lot more than the rest of us not in MA (you're our insight reporter for the Pats ). I think there's going to be some interesting things happening during this off season for them.

Does it include Vance Joseph being hired as the Patriots Defensive Coordinator after Matt Patricia leaves?

I could get on board with that.

[Rancid]

This is great!

I love reading about hurt feelings within the Patriots organization. Let them all fight. I have no sympathy for any of them and hope they all continue to make each other even more miserable.

If I knew how to stoke the fire and make it worse, I would!

[broncoslover115]

This is great!

I love reading about hurt feelings within the Patriots organization. Let them all fight. I have no sympathy for any of them and hope they all continue to make each other even more miserable.

If I knew how to stoke the fire and make it worse, I would!

Let them all fight... how about "let them all eat cake."

The other issue that is surfacing is that BB went to a Timbervolves basketball game instead of planning for the SB. Meaning they were so confident that they didn't need to prepare for them.

[EddieMac]

As far as dressing butler and keeping him out there...they probably needed him for depth if the worst was happening injury wise.

And as for all the other stuff. All we can do is speculate...who knows what butler really did or didn’t do to deserve the benching...who knows what the relationships are in that building..why JM did what he did to the Colts...