„People wanted me to bash him because of our history … but I’m built different.“
Former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler shared his respect for Bill Belichick following the news of the coach’s departure from New England.
The Super Bowl XLIX hero took to Instagram on Thursday to detail his appreciation for his former head coach.
“I probably wouldn’t be where I am today … if it wasn’t for this man,” Butler wrote under a photo of himself and Belichick.
“This man made me a man … people wanted me to bash him because of our history … but I’m built different.”
Butler instantly became a New England legend when the cornerback intercepted Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at the goal line with less than 25 seconds remaining to seal the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX victory.
Belichick, the Patriots’ former head coach, famously detailed his decision to let Seattle run the play by electing not to call a timeout in the “Do Your Job” documentary about the 2014-15 New England team.
The film explained that the Patriots ran the exact play in practice leading up to the Super Bowl, a play in which Butler failed to jump on quickly enough, allowing a touchdown as seen on film.
