New Tennessee Titans cornerback and former New England Patriots star Malcolm Butler had quite a four-year tenure in Foxborough.From undrafted rookie to Super Bowl 49 hero to Pro Bowler Pernell McPhee Jersey Redskins , Butler looked destined to be a big part of the Pats defense for the long-term. But head coach Bill Belichick questionably benched Butler in Super Bowl 52 (he only played one snap in the entire game, on special teams), and watched Nick Foles torch the secondary.With the Philadelphia Eagles beating New England 41-33, Belichick's decision to bench Butler looked all the more silly. After the game, Belichick told reporters that he did what was best for the team and their game plan, which is why the Super Bowl 49 savior sat out.Butler left the Patriots and signed a whopping five-year contract worth $61 million with the Tennessee Titans. Asked by Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald about his Super Bowl benching and departure, Butler finally gave his side of the story:Just spoke with Malcolm Butler on a number of topics, including his Super Bowl benching. He hasn鈥檛 spoken with Bill Belichick since they departed Minnesota but surmised why he didn鈥檛 play that night: pic.twitter.com/ccCsoCLnLj— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 14, 2018There were reports that Butler may have broken curfew, hence Belichick benched him for disciplinary reasons. But those rumors could never be confirmed, and it appears only the Patriots head coach (plus a few others inside the organization), will ever know the full reason.Butler's departure from New England looked inevitable well before the Super Bowl. Last offseason, Belichick refused to pay Butler top dollar Authentic Marquis Haynes Jersey , and signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a five-year contract worth $65 million. Butler was then signed to a first-rounder tender, and was forced to play at a discount salary of $3.91 million. Because of the tender, no team was willing to make a trade for Butler. The price was simply way too high.And so, Butler joins a long list of Patriots legends that Belichick willingly showed the door to. Richard Seymour, Lawyer Milloy, Adam Vinatieri, Wes Welker and Ty Law are among other big-named players that left New England on bad circumstances.Butler may have single-handedly saved Super Bowl 49 while also helping New England win Super Bowl 51, but it didn't matter to Belichick. And with that, he'll presumably finish the rest of his career in the Music City. Kevin Durant will miss at least two weeks with a fractured rib on his right side, joining fellow All-Stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the injury list for the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

An MRI exam Friday for the NBA Finals MVP revealed the incomplete fracture, and the Warriors said Durant would be re-evaluated in two weeks. Durant said he got hit in the ribs at Minnesota last Sunday and initially thought it was just a bruise, but he was sore the next couple of days. He played Wednesday night against the Lakers and felt it again when he hustled to close out on the wing and ”felt something stretch and pull.”

”It was a little sore the next couple of days but not something I was worried about,” Durant said before Golden State’s 98-93 loss to Sacramento.

He worked out Thursday and it took him longer to loosen up. By Friday morning Youth Mason Rudolph Jersey , he experienced significant discomfort. It’s an injury Durant has never had previously.

”Hopefully it gets better in the next week or so and see what happens,” said Durant, who missed time down the stretch last season with a left knee injury before a dazzling postseason to capture his first career title. ”Just recovery, no procedure and see how it feels. It’s a different type of pain than I’ve felt before so I didn’t really know what it was and I’m just glad I got it looked at.”

Curry missed his fourth straight game Friday after re-injuring his troublesome right ankle. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday, while Thompson has a fractured right thumb and will be examined again next Thursday.

TENNIS

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Daria Kasatkina upset Venus Williams 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open.

Naomi Osaka made much quicker work of top-ranked Simona Halep, routing her 6-3, 6-0 in 64 minutes to set up a final between two 20-year-olds on Sunday.

Kasatkina was two points from defeat, trailing 4-5 and 0-30 in the third set when Williams committed four straight errors as the Russian tied it at 5-all.

Williams won just two more points as Kasatkina took the last two games to close out the match in 2 hours, 48 minutes. Kasatkina dropped her racket near the baseline and covered her face with her hands as she walked to the net.

Osaka put away Halep on her third match point when the Romanian netted a backhand.

Ranked 44th, Osaka opened the tournament by beating Maria Sharapova in the first round. She beat No. 31 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 5 Karolina Pliskova on her way to the final Cheap Josh Sweat Jersey , dropping just one set in six matches.

NHL

DENVER (AP) – The Nashville Predators didn’t break out the bubbly or anything rowdy like that after becoming the first NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season.

”Business as usual,” defenseman Ryan Ellis said of the low-key celebration that included some pizza. ”Back to work.”

Colton Sissons and Filip Forsberg each scored twice, backup goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 33 shots and the Predators secured their postseason berth by beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Friday night.

The streaking Predators are 13-0-1 in their last 14 games and haven’t lost in regulation since Feb. 17 against Detroit.

”The guys knew with a win tonight we would clinch and I think they fought hard for it,” coach Peter Laviolette said. ”I really liked our game tonight.”

Starting goalie Pekka Rinne was given the night off after helping Nashville to a win Thursday at Arizona. The team didn’t miss a beat with Saros in net.

Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog had the goals for a Colorado team that returned home after earning two straight road wins, including Thursday in St. Louis. The loss snapped Colorado’s string of nine straight games with a point. The squad still remains in the thick of the playoff chase.

NFL

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Sam Bradford has arrived in Arizona, acknowledging his difficult history with injuries but saying he feels fine now as he prepares to start at quarterback for the Cardinals under new coach Steve Wilks.

”There has been, definitely, some dark times,” Bradford said at his introductory news conference. ”You fight through that process and every time you turn that corner and you’re able to get yourself back on the field. I feel like I’ve come back mentally tougher and mentally stronger than I was the time before.”

The Cardinals called Bradford’s deal a two-year contract, although the second is a club option. He can earn up to $20 million next season, with $15 million guaranteed.

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft Billy Price Jersey Elite , is known for his strong and accurate arm, but he has struggled with injuries.

After being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, Bradford tore his left ACL in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2015.

Bradford signed with Minnesota in 2016 and started 15 games, completing 71 percent of his passes for 3,877 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions. But he missed most of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

”I feel good right now,” he said. ”Obviously, last year was difficult, but after the procedure I had in November I was able to rehab and get myself back in position to play and was able to suit up the two playoff games in Minnesota.”

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