The Patriots released cornerback Malcolm Butler from the team’s injured reserve list on Thursday.
Butler, the hero of New England’s Super Bowl XLIX victory over Seattle, was placed on IR after he reportedly suffered a hip injury in the Patriots’ preseason opener against the Giants on Aug. 11, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. In that game, Butler recovered a fumble and played 23 snaps.
Prior to his latest preseason action with New England, Butler had not played in a game since Jan. 3, 2021. He had abruptly retired ahead of the ’21 season after signing with the Cardinals that March, saying he wasn’t “prepared mentally” to play at the time.