Malcolm Butler has certainly played his last game for the New England Patriots.
Distraught in the post-game, saying he felt he could've changed the result, both he and the NBC commentators (who mentioned this at least twice!) are wondering why Butler was not in the defensive scheme at all for the game, and only played in one punt.
Bill Belichick said it was not a disciplinary situation, and that it was a matter of putting the people out there who could win.
The Patriot defense could not stop water last night. Something is badly wrong here, and I can't think any intelligent person is buying the public line here.
Butler, for those of us who remember, was the recipient of that classic goal-line interception that finished off the Seahawks three years ago.
Belichick's line was the classic "We put the people out there who gave us the best chance to win." stuff. It was a deliberate coach's decision, and announced as such.
That's the kind of decision that screams, in normal parlance, that the coach has lost all confidence in the player and wishes rid of him -- NOW. That he said or did something and is done with the New England Patriots. NOW. And that it's Belichick's decision.
So this might be the first post-Super Bowl subplot to watch.
One Deadspin commenter is thinking a hooker might be involved.
I'm wondering if Butler wasn't going to go along with the company line and lose to the Eagles.
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