Wondering why Malcolm Butler saw the field for just one snap in Super Bowl LII? Ty Law is right there with you.
Head coach Bill Belichick’s decision to virtually bench his starting cornerback in the New England Patriots’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday sparked a strong reaction from both Butler himself and other NFL players.
On Monday morning, a Patriots legend weighed in.
We Need to get to bottom of this Malcolm Butler situation, I’m baffled about this one. We needed that man on the field.
— Ty Law (@OfficialTyLaw) February 5, 2018
Former New England cornerback and Patriots Hall of Famer Ty Law admitted he was “baffled” by the team’s decision not to play Butler.
Neither Belichick nor defensive coordinator Matt Patricia have offered a legitimate reason for Butler’s absence, other than that they made the decision they felt was in the best interest of the team.
And while rumors have circulated as to what really led to Butler taking a seat, at least one Patriots player admitted he’s also searching for answers.
#Patriots defensive player to me this morning on the Malcolm Butler situation: "I'm not aware why it happened…It is what it is. The coach made a decision. You got to live with it."
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 5, 2018
Of course, Butler’s benching would have been a much smaller storyline had the Patriots pulled out the victory — and not allowed 41 points and 538 yards of total offense to the Nick Foles-led Eagles.