Butler’s goal-line interception in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIX made him a two-time Super Bowl champion.

Why is Cardinals CB Malcolm Butler on the bench?

Malcolm Butler, on the Cardinals’ reserve/retired list, was benched, making him a free agent. However, he made it clear earlier this year that he wanted to keep playing.

The team has yet to give any specific reason for Butler’s departure, although many believe it is due to his injury.

His bizarre benching in Super Bowl LII in New England’s last game was also a career low for which there is no apparent explanation.

The cornerback joined the Patriots for a return to the NFL. Butler, a former Arizona Cardinals player who retired for personal reasons at the end of August, returned in March to sign a two-year deal with the New England Patriots.

He was officially placed on injured reserve by the New England Patriots on Tuesday, ending his 2022 campaign.

At 32, it makes sense to wonder if Butler’s NFL career is nearing its end.

Cardinals cornerback Malcolm Butler enters injury reserve

Despite no public injury, Malcolm Butler missed the Patriots’ final two games before being placed on the injured reserve. His plans to return to New England in 2022 were also canceled.

In his first four NFL seasons, he played with the Patriots, and in Super Bowl XLIX, he had the winning interception.

Butler played for New England throughout the preseason, making a total of 22 appearances. On the club’s unofficial depth chart, he ranks behind Jalen Mills ahead of Tuesday’s press release.

New England cornerback Jojuan Williams was also reportedly included in the injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury, according to nfl.com.

The latest on Malcolm Butler’s retirement from the NFL

The Tennessee Titans hired Malcolm Butler in 2018 but fired him after his productive year in 2020.

Shortly after, Butler signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals, but just before the 2021 season started, he made a surprise announcement of his retirement.

The cornerback reportedly left the game for “personal reasons,” but it’s unclear what those reasons were. As such, he was added to the reserve/retirement roster on the same day. On February 18, 2022, the team officially released him.

Malcolm Butler’s career earnings and salary before the contract ends

Butler, who is expected to be Arizona’s starting corner, agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million with the Cardinals in the spring.

Then, in 2022, he returned to New England after signing a two-year, $9 million contract and being fired by the Arizona Cardinals in February.

Butler and the Patriots agreed to a $9 million contract in March, according to the Boston Globe. After this move, the cornerback’s retirement is officially over.

According to MA​​RCA, Butler is expected to have a net worth of between $2 and $5 million in 2022. During his eight-season NFL career, he made nearly $44.7 million.