Malcolm Butler looks back on Super Bowl 49-winning INT for Patriots in Arizona: ‘Who Wants the Ball?’
Malcolm Butler will forever be known as one of the greatest surprise heroes in Super Bowl history. As a rookie cornerback for the Patriots, he intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line with a stunning defensive play to seal an exciting 28-24 win over the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49.
With the Super Bowl in Arizona for the first time in eight years, Butler also came back and spoke to The Sporting News on behalf of Hydroxycut ahead of another exciting matchup between the top seeds when the Chiefs and Eagles meet at State Farm Stadium.
“When I see the stadium, it draws me back,” said Butler. “As a newcomer to the media day at the table, no one spoke to me. On the bus ride to the Super Bowl, I was just amazed at the whole situation. It made me think about the little things I forgot.”
MORE: Watch Super Bowl 57 Live With fuboTV (Free Trial)
Well before his game-winning interception with 26 seconds remaining, Butler didn’t know if he’d have the opportunity to have a moment like this – until he took the field.
“When I came into play, you could see flashes of it flying all over the field. I made several plays prior to this game, including beating Marshawn Lynch,” Butler said. “Everyone heard me going through the game in practice and I wasn’t executing the game properly in practice. But as I got into the game, I saw (Russell) Wilson peeking and took a guess.
“I felt it in my stomach. I said the F-word and I was gone. I just went for the ball. The hardest part of the game was just catching the ball. If I drop it, they run the ball by next game.”
Although there has been much talk of the play about blaming the Seahawks for not running with Lynch and instead passing Wilson on the inside to wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, Butler and the Patriots coaching staff deserve more credit for the preparation leading up to the execution led.
MORE: Arizona Super Bowl history: Revisit the 1996, 2008, 2015 classics
“Ernie (Adams), who worked for the Patriots (football research), was a major Bill Belichick guy. They went through everything. I don’t know how that game came up in practice — the Seahawks probably ran that game three times through the season,” Butler said. “I think it was going to be a run before we loaded the box, and then Wilson kind of got a check and sent it the signal for a selection game.”
Butler also admits that his interception would not have happened if Lockett had done otherwise.
“If the wide receiver had gone a little harder, it would have just been a broken pass,” said Butler. “But I beat him to it.”
For being such an iconic game in Super Bowl history, Butler’s interception hasn’t been associated with a universal nickname that sticks, like “The Helmet Catch.” “Butler Did It” was suggested. So does “Pick Around the World”. Butler just called it what it was.
“I would just say, ‘Who wants the ball?’ name,” he said.
AB 2018: Patriots bench Malcolm Butler in ranked among worst coaching blunders in Super Bowl history
Butler is now 32 years old. He last played in the NFL in the 2020 season for his second team, the Titans. He came out of retirement to sign with the Patriots last offseason but was released in August. Butler still appreciates the role the game had in launching a successful pro career during which he made a Pro Bowl and earned a second-team All-Pro selection.
“The play brought me more attention. It definitely changed my life. It made me a wealthy man. I probably made more money off the field than I got as a rookie,” he said. “I didn’t want this game to define my career. I made it to the Pro Bowl. I won another Super Bowl.
“I’ve had a solid career going from where I worked, worked at Popeye’s, played in West Alabama, tried out with 40 guys when they only picked two, went to training camp and played straight through as a rookie.”
Butler began using Hydroxycut long before he worked with the company. The product helped him stay in shape while playing. For many NFL players, getting fit for the last-minute push before training camp has helped them.
“It keeps my body in order, keeps me in shape and gives me a lot of energy.” said Butler. “They’ve been doing this for 25 years — they’ve got the gummies, they’ve got the capsules. I go to the gym hard alone. When I use this product I go even harder. It gives me energy for training, time with kids, everything.”