Belichick in midseason form, quiets lingering Super Bowl question

Ask Bill Belichick a question he doesn't like, and you know what kind of answer you'll get.

Still, longtime Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy thought he'd try to ask the question many New England fans themselves have wanted to ask for almost six months: Why didn't the Patriots coach play cornerback Malcolm Butler -- the hero of New England's defeat of Seattle in the Super Bowl two seasons earlier-- in last season's Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia?

Shaughnessy asked the question gently at a news conference Wednesday morning, starting with this -- "I know you're all about this year and we all understand that" -- but Belichick rebuffed him at every turn. Finally, the coach put an end to the questioning with this response:

"I'm focused on doing the best I can for the 2018 New England Patriots. That's my job. That's what I'm going to do. That's what I've always done in the past. Every day I've coached here, I've done the best that I could for this football team. I'll continue to do that. Right now my focus is on the 2018 season. Not 2017, not 2014, 2007, not 2004, not 2001, not 2000. I'm not focused on any of those seasons. They're done."

One thing is certain: Butler signed an offseason 5-year, $61 million contract with the Tennessee Titans.

But why he didn't play in the Super Bowl will continue to puzzle Patriots fans.

--Field Level Media