For the first time in his NFL career, former Pro Bowl cornerback Malcolm Butler is set to play in another uniform aside from the New England Patriots. He had spent his first four years in the league with the franchise where he had ingrained himself as a vital piece of the secondary.

This has made his departure from the organization a difficult one given the type of support he had received from the Patriots' fanbase that he had during his tenure there. During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Butler stated that he still has a strong affection for the Patriots following that he believes he may not find anywhere else.

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Although Butler's time in New England didn't exactly end on the best of terms, he has no ill will toward the fans that had supported him throughout that entire time. He had earned that high level of admiration from the franchise in his rookie campaign by making the biggest play of his career by intercepting Russell Wilson's pass at the one-yard line that helped secure the Patriots a 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.

Since that time, he has continued an upward trajectory becoming one of the better cornerbacks in the league. This is likely why it made it more difficult to go through being benched in Super Bowl LII where he could have had a major impact on the game had he played. The fashion in the way this went down gave him no choice but to look to play elsewhere despite his adoration for the Patriots' fanbase.

Butler will now start the next chapter of his career with the Tennessee Titans after inking a five-year, $61.3 million deal where he has a chance to become a long-term centerpiece in their secondary. Only time will tell if he can earn that type of connection with the Titans and their fanbase.