Patriots Super Bowl XLIX Hero Malcolm Butler Confirms NFL Retirement

Former New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2020.

And the Super Bowl XLIX hero confirmed to Houston television station KPRC on Saturday that he won’t play in the NFL again as Butler is calling it a career.

“I am retired,” Butler said, as transcribed by The Boston Globe’s Christopher Price. “I did the best I can do. Walking away from the game feeling comfortable. Everybody can do more, but I’m satisfied with my career. It’s time to move on and transition.”

Butler, 34, played seven seasons in the NFL, with four of those seasons coming with the Patriots after going undrafted. Butler’s tenure with New England is highlighted by one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history as the then-rookie intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line to secure a 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Butler also played three seasons for the Tennessee Titans and signed with the Cardinals in free agency in 2021, but was released a year later without having ever played in a game for Arizona.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back returned to the Patriots briefly in 2022, but was released prior to the season with an injury settlement. Butler took one last shot at an NFL comeback last August as he had a tryout with the Atlanta Falcons, but nothing came from it.

Butler is now content to move on to the next chapter of his life and is interested in possibly writing a book or trying standup comedy, per Price.

“There’s a lot of things I can do,” Butler said. “I want to keep myself busy.”

Butler’s final game with the Patriots is one of much controversy. He was benched for New England’s Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and there’s been no clear explanation to what led to the demotion. Butler is tight-lipped on the situation, but has teased about possibly revealing why he didn’t play.

But the ordeal clearly hasn’t changed his feelings toward the Patriots.

“It was great to play with Tom Brady and to play with so many great players, win so many games, for the first four years and go to three Super Bowls,” Butler said. “People play a long time and never got even close to a Super Bowl. To play with so may great players, it’s truly a blessing. To be able to play for the Kraft family, man, good people.”