What is it with the New England Patriots? Why must there always be an unsolved mystery after they appear in a Super Bowl? (Well, any time, really, but especially after a Super Bowl.) A year ago, everyone was wondering who had stolen Tom Brady’s jersey from the locker room. This year, the explanation for the vanishing of Malcolm Butler remains unknown and, if Bill Belichick has his way, perhaps unknowable.
The cornerback, whose interception delivered victory in Super Bowl XLIX, was MIA on the field on Feb. 4, benched for all but a special teams play despite being in on 97.