NFL Rumors: Patriots Players Defend Decision To Bench Malcolm Butler

Another day, another wrinkle in the story Malcolm Butler.

Ever since he signed with the Tennessee Titans, the former New England Patriots cornerback has been more candid about his infamous Super Bowl benching. That trend continue during a recent Sports Illustrated interview, in which Butler revealed how close he was to telling New England head coach Bill Belichick to play him against the Philadelphia Eagles.

In reaction to Butler’s comments, NBC Sports Boston’s Mike Giardi on Friday reached out to pair of Patriots players, both of whom had interesting things to say about their former teammate.

Check out these tweets:

These comments admittedly are a bit vague — unsurprising, considering who they play for.

Still, the fact one player believes the decision to bench Butler “wasn’t without a merit” is telling, as is the other player’s indication that Butler wasn’t focused during the lead up to Super Bowl LII.

What remains a mystery, however, is whether the decision to bench Butler stemmed from on-the-field struggles, off-the-field issues or a combination of the two. Either way, Belichick reportedly wasn’t alone in making the call.