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Super Bowl 52 Patriots vs Eagles: Malcolm Butler reportedly benched because of a “perfect storm of issues”

One of the questions remaining from the New England Patriots' loss against the Philadelphia Eagles that will linger for a long time is the benching of cornerback Malcolm Butler. After he had been on the field for more than 97% of his team's defensive snaps over the course of the season, the veteran did not even play a single snap on defense in Super Bowl LII.

Although the unit was routinely getting torched by its opponent, Butler remained on the sidelines – even when just a single defensive stop in the fourth quarter could have sealed the game for New England.