Malcolm Butler’s mysterious benching in Super Bowl LII has still never fully been explained over four years later.
Former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman doesn’t know why Butler didn’t play one defensive snap in the team’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, something he confirmed during a Reddit AMA last week.
In fact, Edelman, who missed that game and the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL, wasn’t even on the sideline during that game.
“I was too busy getting kicked out of the Colts box with Guy Fieri that Super Bowl,” Edelman said Thursday, via Boston.com.
“Guy had some tickets in the Colts box (oh, we’re friends nbd),” wrote Edelman. “Got settled, got my popcorn got my cracker jacks, telling old war stories to the lovely folks in the box. Then I get a tap on the shoulder. Colts management found out I was there, and let’s just say Indy isn’t known for its hospitality.”
We’re glad Edelman got all of that sorted out.
Butler’s benching wound up being the biggest story from that game, which wound up being his final one in a Patriots uniform.
After signing with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, Butler spent three seasons in Nashville before heading to Arizona. However, he retired from football before the 2021 season, never suiting up for the Cardinals.
Butler eventually came out of retirement to sign with the Patriots this year, but he was placed on injured reserve and eventually released last week.