The mystery behind Bill Belichick’s controversial decision to bench Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII continues.
According to safety Devin McCourty, the Patriots were well aware Butler was going to sit out against the Eagles. While cornerback Eric Rowe — Butler’s replacement — told reporters he didn’t know he was going to start until right before kickoff, McCourty recently revealed the team knew the plan in advance.
“We all knew he wasn’t starting all week,” the Patriots captain told NJ.com’s Ryan Dunleavy at a fundraiser for his charity, Tackle Sickle Cell, Saturday.