Bill Belichick Deflects Question About Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl 52 Benching

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick refused to answer questions about cornerback Malcolm Butler's benching in the team's Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles as the Pats opened 2018 training camp.

On Wednesday, Matt Dolloff of 98.5 The Sports Hub provided Belichick's typical forward-looking response when asked to comment on his decision.

"I'm focused on training camp," he said.

Belichick refused to cave as reporters continued to press the topic:

"I'm focused on doing the best I can for the 2018 New England Patriots. That's my job. That's what I'm going to do. That's what I've always done in the past. Every day that I've coached here, I've done the best that I could for this football team and I'll continue to do that, and right now my focus is on the 2018 season. Not 2017, not 2014, not 2007, not 2004, not 2001, not 2000. Not focused on any of those seasons. They're done."

Butler left the Patriots in March as a free agent to sign with the Tennessee Titans. After exiting the organization, the corner confirmed to Jeff Howe of The Athletic he was never told why he didn't get a chance to fill his usual starting role against the Eagles.

"I never got a reason," he said. "I feel like this was the reason: I got kind of sick. I went to the hospital. They probably thought I was kind of late on the game plan; I wasn't as locked in as I should be and could have been a matchup deal. It could have been anything."

The decision may not have generated so many headlines if the Pats didn't allow 41 points and 374 passing yards in the Super Bowl defeat.

Nevertheless, Belichick has a longstanding tradition of not discussing past events, and he downplayed the importance of discussing the Butler issue with this year's team, per Dolloff.

"It's important for me to have a good season in 2018," he said. "I'm going to do everything I can to do that. Do the best I can for the football team. That's my job, that's my responsibility, that's what I'm going to try to do."

The Patriots open the preseason August 9 against the Washington Redskins and kick off the regular season September 9 when they take on the Houston Texans.