Tennessee Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler finally enjoyed a serviceable performance against the New England Patriots. His solid outing came after head coach Bill Belichick shared a few words with him prior to the game.
There was plenty of speculation regarding the potential bad blood between these two. However, according to Doug Kyed of NESN, Belichick had some kind words for Butler prior to the game:
“It was great, man,” Butler said. “It was kind of weird. I haven’t seen him in a long time in person. He just told me good luck and keep fighting and appreciate the four years that we played together.”
It appears Butler was not the only former Patriot Belichick spoke too. Cornerback Logan Ryan also shared a moment before the game.
“Bill came up to me pregame, a couple of them came up to me pregame and said, ‘Hey, you’re having a great year.’ And I thought they were trying to psych me out,” Ryan said. “I thought they were trying to get me too comfortable and double-move me early. It was fun seeing those guys, but it was also good getting a win.”
It is encouraging to see that there is no ill-will between both parties. Belichick made it a point to show his appreciation for what Butler and Ryan had done for him in previous years. Regardless, it still comes as a bit of a surprise considering all the speculation about the potential bad blood.
The Titans enjoyed perhaps their most impressive victory of the 2018 NFL season with a 34-10 win over the Patriots. Both Ryan and Butler played a major role in the victory by helping to shut down quarterback Tom Brady. The latter was in the midst of a disastrous season in Tennessee. Fortunately, it seems Butler has finally started to find his footing after being one of the worst cornerbacks in the league through the first nine weeks of the season.
Although Butler and Ryan may not have been out for revenge, the same cannot be said for running back Dion Lewis. He blasted his former team for taking a ‘cheap' route following his two-touchdown performance.
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