Bill Belichick declines to talk about Malcolm Butler benching

Good luck getting any information from Bill Belichick about the Malcom Butler benching in the Super Bowl.

Belichick is at the NFL Owners meetings, which led ESPN’s Mike Reiss to ask him Sunday about the Butler benching. In typical Belichick fashion, the New England Patriots head coach declined to get into the matter.

Asked Bill Belichick about Malcolm Butler and Super Bowl decision not to play him on defense, based on Butler’s remarks in Tennessee of maybe not being “locked in and focused 100 percent.” Belichick said he respects Butler. “Not going to get into last year,” he says.

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 25, 2018

That is Belichick’s new version of “we’re on to Cincinnati.”

There has never been an explanation for Butler’s benching given by New England’s head coach, leaving many to wonder about the reason. Two things that have become clear is that the benching had nothing to do with discipline and it caught Butler by surprise.

The cornerback has since signed with the Titans.