There still are more questions than answers regarding why Malcolm Butler was benched in Super Bowl LII.

Still, the former Patriots cornerback focused on the positives following Bill Belichick's New England exit.

Robert Kraft and Belichick on Thursday mutually agreed to part ways. The now-former Patriots head coach's statement was filled with thanks for the organization, the media and the fans, a moment where he got choked up.

No Matchup Found

Click here to enter a different Sportradar ID.

Story continues below advertisement

Multiple former players thanked and appreciated Belichick, including Tom Brady. There are a select number of former players who have bitter feelings toward the 71-year-old, like Asante Samuel. Butler seemingly would fit into that category given the mystery around his Super Bowl benching, but the 33-year-old reneged the haters in his Belichick post.

"I Probably Wouldn't Be Where I Am Today ... If It Wasn’t For This Man," Butler wrote on Instagram. "This Man Made Me A Man ... People Wanted Me To Bash Him Because Of Our History ... But I'm Built Different."

    What do you think?  Leave a comment.

Butler never publicly bashed Belichick after he left New England for the Tennesee Titans. And he came out of retirement when he came back to the Patriots during the 2022 offseason. He suffered an injury in the preseason, which put an end to his career, but his relationship with Belichick remained amicable.

Story continues below advertisement

The retired cornerback said last year there would be more details about his Super Bowl benching, but nothing official has come out to give concrete answers about the situation. But it's clear there still aren't hard feelings between Butler and Belichick.

Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images