According to a report in the Boston Herald, Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler has been held off the practice field during Patriots OTAs because he reported late to work due to a canceled flight.
Jeff Howe's report suggests Butler has been participating in all off-field activities during this training period, but has not been on the practice field to date. He is expected to return to the practice field Thursday when the media is able to watch the workout in Foxboro.
Butler's interception in the waning seconds of Super Bowl XLIX clinched the championship for New England and raised his profile internationally. This latest bit of discipline reminds all of the Patriots players that no one is above the law with Belichick in charge.
Wednesday night, Albert Breer from the NFL Network reported the NFL Players Association is reviewing whether the Patriots may have violated a rule in the collective bargaining agreement.
Section 5(a) of the agreement states, "No Club official may indicate to a player that the Club's offseason workout program or classroom instruction is not voluntary (or that a player's failure to participate in a workout program or classroom instruction will result in the player's failure to make the Club or result in any other adverse consequences affecting his working conditions)."
