Malcolm Butler Placed on Reserve/Retired List by Cardinals
August 31, 2021
The Arizona Cardinals announced that they have placed cornerback Malcolm Butler on the reserved/retired list.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on Monday that Butler was going through a "personal situation" that has led to him considering retirement. He has been away from the facility over the past week because of that situation.
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafoloBreaking news from <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLTotalAccess?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLTotalAccess</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AZCardinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AZCardinals</a> CB Malcolm Butler is dealing with a personal situation that has him mulling retirement, sources tell me. <a href="https://t.co/GIo6j7MRQX">pic.twitter.com/GIo6j7MRQX</a>
Butler has played seven NFL seasons and is best known for his championship-clinching interception of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to seal Super Bowl XLIX for the New England Patriots in Feb. 2015.
He played four years for the Pats, winning two Super Bowls. Butler then joined the Tennessee Titans via free agency, playing with them from 2018-20 before being released. The ex-West Alabama star then joined the Cardinals on a one-year deal this offseason.
Butler, who represented the AFC in the 2015 Pro Bowl, has 17 interceptions, 82 pass breakups and 406 tackles for his career.
He was listed as a starter at one of the outside cornerback spots on the Cardinals' initial preseason depth chart, with Byron Murphy on the opposite side.
As for what's next, ESPN's Josh Weinfuss provided some thoughts:
The Cardinals open their season at the Titans on Sunday, Sept. 12.