Malcolm Butler reportedly ‘considering’ NFL comeback

Butler, who did not play in the 2021 season, has reportedly "been working out diligently."

Malcolm Butler's considering a return to football after retiring prior to the 2021 season.

February 18, 2022

2 minutes to read

The Bruins lost to the Islanders on Thursday, 4-1. Boston will be back in action tomorrow against the Senators in Ottawa at 7 p.m.

The Celtics are off until a Thursday (Feb. 24) matchup against the Nets at 7:30 p.m.

Malcolm Butler’s potential return to the NFL: Former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler walked away from football prior to the 2021 season due to personal reasons after signing in the offseason with the Cardinals.

Now, he’s reportedly considering a comeback.

On Thursday, the Cardinals released Butler from the reserve/retired list, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This could be a sign that Butler, who turns 32 in March, is thinking about returning to the NFL.

“Had heard he’s considering it,” noted Rapoport.

Fellow NFL Network reporter Mike Giardi added that Butler “has been working out diligently.”

“Would expect a return,” Giardi continued.

Butler was originally an undrafted free agent with the Patriots in 2014, rising to prominence after he made a game-winning interception of Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX.

In 2016, Butler was named a second-team All-Pro, but made a swift exit from the Patriots after he was conspicuously benched in the Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles.

Afterward, Butler played three seasons with the Titans before briefly joining the Cardinals in 2021.

Trivia: The 2026 Winter Olympics will be hosted by Italy at Cortina d’Ampezzo (in partnership with Milan). It will be the second time the Winter Games have been held in Cortina d’Ampezzo after it first occurred in 1956. Name the three other places that have hosted a Winter Olympics multiple times.

(Answer at the bottom)

Hint: One in Austria, one in Switzerland, and one in the United States.

More from Boston.com:

On this day: In 1980, the United States men’s hockey team defeated Romania 7-2 in first round competition at the Lake Placid Olympics. The win helped the American goal differential, though U.S. skaters weren’t fans of the Olympic tiebreaker system.

“It’s gotten so you can’t tease anybody anymore when he comes back to the bench after blowing a chance,” said U.S. goaltender Jim Craig in a Boston Globe report following the game. “There’s lots of extra pressure to score, and it’s created an awful itchy feeling that the players don’t like.”

Fortunately for the U.S. team, goal differential didn’t end up mattering: A win over West Germany in the final first round game, combined with a loss by Czechoslovakia against Sweden, ensured automatic qualification for the final round.