Pals: Pats’ chances go up in smoke without Malcolm

Bill Belichick may not be blunt on why he benched cornerback Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, but former Patriot Brandon Browner believes he knows why and is trashing his former head coach for the decision.

Browner ripped Belichick in several Instagram posts since the end of Sunday’s 41-33 Super Bowl loss to the Eagles for benching Butler, and in an Instagram video posted Monday afternoon he appeared to indicate his former teammate was caught with marijuana, violated curfew and had a dispute with coaches.

“For weed? For curfew? Do y’all history, man. Patriots are a team that gives cats second chances,” Browner said in the video.

In the caption with the video, Browner added, “He not the first to get caught with weed.”

There were no reported arrests or legal issues with Butler or any players during the week in Minneapolis.

In another video, Browner also seemed to suggest there was an incident with Butler and the coaching staff.

“Going off on coaches and s--t, that s--t is going to happen,” he said. “There’s a bunch of men with a whole lot of testosterone, working out, all competing for a job, you feel me? I can say I got into it with coaches on that team, New Orleans, Seattle.”

Belichick said after the game that Butler was not benched for disciplinary reasons and when he was asked again on a conference call Monday morning, he declined to elaborate and repeated it was a football decision.

“I respect Malcolm’s competitiveness. I’m sure he felt like he could have helped,” Belichick said. “In the end, we have to make the decisions that are best for the football team… that’s really all I can say about that.” Not everyone is buying that. Former Patriots wide receiver Donte Stallworth seemed to think it had to have been due to a disciplinary reason.

“I was telling Pats fans this last night while watching the game. I thought he had maybe been late/missed meeting or curfew. Bill doesn’t have many rules. Among them are: 1) put the team first, 2) be where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there,” he wrote on Twitter.

Butler, 27, played in 97.8% of the defensive snaps in the regular season and was the hero in Super Bowl XLIX for his goal line interception to win the game against the Seahawks.

Browner, who was Butler’s teammate that season, accused Belichick of dividing the locker room prior to kickoff.

“A locker room was divided pre game, most yds ever given in up in a SB game, and your best defender over the past 3 seasons. Doesn’t get a snap. You where hurt/burnt where he was needed tonight.. #foolishpride,” he wrote after the game, accompanied with a picture of Butler in tears during the national anthem.

Outside linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who went on the IR in Week 5, was among those who liked Browner’s post. Former Patriots defenders Jamie Collins and Alfonzo Dennard also liked it.

Former Patriots corner Ty Law, who won three Super Bowls under Belichick, also wanted answers.

“We Need to get to the bottom of this Malcolm Butler situation,” he said on Twitter. “I’m baffled about this one. We needed that man on the field.”