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When Malcolm Butler signed with the Patriots last month, it came as a surprise to many given the bizarre way his last stint with the Patriots ended. But Butler says he and Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t discuss their history together.
Belichick benched Butler in Super Bowl LII for reasons never explained, and Butler left New England that offseason. Butler says when Belichick contacted him about a return last month, the subject didn’t come up.
“I can’t say much about that,” said Butler. “I try to live in the present. You can’t always think about the past. I made progress from that. I know it will always be there, but I haven’t told anyone about anything.”
Butler, returning from a brief retirement, admitted he was surprised Belichick had reached out.
“That came as a surprise. My agent told me Bill wanted to speak to me so I was happy. I started training straight away because I knew I could come back,” said Butler.
Butler believes that he and Belichick agree because they both want to focus on what’s ahead and not what happened in the past.
“I didn’t expect to return to New England, but I always had respect for the New England Patriots,” Butler said. “One thing I’ve learned, you never burn your bridges, you handle situations as a man and as an adult. If I didn’t do that, I don’t think I would have the opportunity to come back here. I’m pretty sure I made a good decision by acting like a grown man.”