Malcolm Butler's return to New England is over for 2022.
The New England Patriots placed the cornerback and Super Bowl XLIX hero on injured reserve, the club announced Tuesday, which officially ends his 2022 season. New England also placed cornerback Joejuan Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury, on IR.
Butler did not have a publicly known injury, but did miss the Patriots' last two practices before landing on IR.
Butler played in New England's preseason, seeing the field for 22 total snaps. He was listed behind Jalen Mills in the team's unofficial depth chart prior to Tuesday's news.
Butler's return to the Patriots was also his return to the NFL. While he was a member of the Arizona Cardinals, the cornerback retired due to personal reasons at the end of August last year before coming out of retirement in March to sign a two-year deal with New England.
At 32 years old, it's fair to wonder whether this is the last we'll see of Butler in the NFL.
