Everyone still wants to know why Bill Belichick benched former Super Bowl hero Malcom Butler during the Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl in 2018 and the ex-cornerback is still being cryptic.

Butler, who was New England’s second-highest-rated cornerback that season according to Pro Football Focus, denied being benched for partying in the lead-up to the Super Bowl and called his mysterious lack of playing time a “coach’s decision.”

He mostly confirmed that everyone involved agreed not to talk about the matter and dispelled a few of the rumors while doing an interview on Super Bowl 2025 radio Row with Mike Felger and Tony Mᴀssarotti.

“Man, it’s just loyalty,” Butler told 98.5 The Sports Hub when asked whether everyone agreed to not discuss it. “Nobody embarrᴀssed nobody. It is what it is. Respect. Honor.”

After the 2018 Super Bowl, where the Patriots allowed 41 points and lost despite never punting, Belichick also called sitting Butler a “coaching decision.”

Conspiracy theories have rolled around for years about what Butler could have possibly done to upset his coach to the point where he was being benched despite playing every regular season and postseason game prior to the biggest game of the season.

And especially after he became a hero in New England for his game-winning interception against the Seahawks in Super Bowl 2015.

One particularly bizarre rumors is that Butler got into a wrestling match with ᴀssistant coach Steve Belichick — either getting hurt or upset his head coach father.

“Wrestling match? That ain’t even a match,” Butler added, seemingly squashing that rumor.

Another theory floated that he missed curfew and essentially earned a suspension for the Super Bowl, which Butler also denied.

“No, I think a ring is more important than a party. I can do that for the rest of my life. In fact, I did last night,” Butler said. “We are grown men. We do got a time to be at work and a time to not be messing off.”

Felger and Mᴀssarotti added that there were some pictures circulating of him partying that week but Butler denied that had anything to do with his benching.

Butler’s stance that no one embarrᴀssed anyone is a little bizarre, all things considered, as eight years later fans are still asking why he was benched and whether it cost the Patriots a Super Bowl ring.

Even his teammates felt robbed of the moment, as former teammates told reporters in “The Dynasty” documentary released in 2024 that they felt cheated by the decision.

“‘I felt like I had put my body, everything on the line for this,’” an anonymous player said. “And to not even get an explanation at the time as to why this decision was made, he says, ‘I feel like we got cheated a little bit.’”

ESPN reporter Seth Wickersham published in his 2021 book that Butler was benched because of a screaming match he got into with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in practice.

Butler won two championships with the Patriots and finished his career with the тιтans in 2020 after signing a big contract in the 2018 offseason.