UWA to honor Butler in March

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, February 24, 2015

    VICKSBURG – Motorists driving into the city of Vicksburg off Interstate 20 encounter a billboard from the University of West Alabama promoting Super Bowl 49 hero Malcolm Butler.

    Butler was honored Saturday with what the Vicksburg Post said was the largest downtown parade since General Ulysses S. Grant marched into town with the Union Army after the city surrendered on July 4, 1863, ending one of the longest military campaigns of the Civil War. On Saturday, an estimated 10,000 fans flowed to the streets to see Butler roll through on a football-themed float.

    West Alabama will get its chance to honor Butler, who has quickly one of the most famous Tiger athletes ever, on March 19. Today Butler will be honored by the Mississippi Legislature and Gov. Phil Bryant with a ceremony in Jackson.

    “I’m going to be there on March 19,” Butler said of his upcoming trip back to his college town of Livingston, Ala. The statement came after Butler received the key to the city from Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs at a ceremony before 800 people at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

    UWA head football coach Brett Gilliland was on hand for the parade and got to speak about Butler during the key to the city ceremony, which featured U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, Butler’s high school football coach Alonzo Stevens, who is now a board member of the VIcksburg/Warren School district, teachers and several former National Football League players.

    Gilliland said he was glad to be a part of the festivities and said UWA has been working to honor its Super Bowl hero. Butler became an instant celebrity when he intercepted Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass on the 1-yard line in the final 20 seconds of Super Bowl 49. The interception, the first of Butler’s NFL career, sealed the New England Patriots’ 28-24 win over Seattle. It was the Patriots fourth world championship for coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.

    “I got to talk to him before the parade and we kind of agreed that we would honor him at our spring game,” Gilliland said. “That will be March 19.”

    West Alabama has begun spring training and the game on the 19th will cap its spring practice in preparation for the 2015 season.

    For Saturday’s huge homecoming parade for Butler, UWA sent its cheerleading squad and a pep band. The UWA students were excited to be a part of the parade to honor Butler and also get to see one of the best bands in the south, the Jackson State University “Sonic Boom” band.

    It’s been an amazing February for the former Vicksburg High graduate who joined the Patriots as un-drafted free agent out of West Alabama. Following the Super Bowl win, he was interviewed by CBS, ABC and NBC’s morning shows while also featured on the NFL Network, ESPN and others. He  got to present a Grammy for Best Rock Album to Beck in Los Angeles. He was honored during the Patriots’ Super Bowl parade that drew nearly over 250,000 in downtown Boston. And Tom Brady, the Super Bowl 49 MVP, gave Butler his MVP trophy, a new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado last week.

    Butler’s story has resonated because he overcame adversity after being dismissed following five games into his freshman season at Hinds Community College in Raymond. He got his act together with a full time job as a cook and cashier at Popeyes in Vicksburg and then took classes at a Vicksburg campus of Alcorn State University.

    “I messed up and had football taken away from me,” Butler said during the homecoming ceremony. “I was able to get it all back together.”

    After Hinds Community College Coach Gene Murphy allowed Butler back on the team in 2011, Butler responded with a standout sophomore season. Still, he was lightly recruited in the spring of 2012 and jumped on his one bonafide offer he had from West Alabama.

    At UWA, Butler made All-Gulf South Conference in 2012, intercepting five passes, breaking up 12 others, while making 43 solo tackles. His senior season in 2013 was even better with 16 pass break-ups, two interceptions, and a 27.9 yards per kickoff return average. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including one to beat arch-rival University of North Alabama and win the Tigers the Gulf South Conference championship. Butler was later named a Division II All-America.

    Last year at this time, Butler was trying to catch on with an NFL team, but a poor sprint time in the 40-yard dash at a Pro Day workout at the University of Alabama seemed to doom his chances.

    Yet, he got a break when former Dallas Cowboys head coach Chan Gailey called a friend of his on the New England staff. Gailey coached Butler during Medal of Honor All-Star bowl game a year ago January. Gailey is now the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets.

    Butler was offered a tryout came with the Patriots and there, ran a 4.4, 40-yard dash. He was given a standard, three-year free agent contract at the league minimum of $420,000. He made another $140,000 for the Patriots’ three-game playoff run to the Super Bowl title.

    Butler defied the odds. He stood out during the Patriot mini-camps and got to start two pre-season games for New England. That led him to earning a spot on the final 53-man roster.

    During the 2014 regular season, Butler played in 11 games and deflected 15 passes. He made his first NFL start in the final regular season game against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough.