TEMPE, Ariz. — The million-dollar question at Cardinals practice Tuesday was where is cornerback Malcolm Butler, and what happened? This comes one day after an NFL Total Access report on Butler considering retiring from football erupted on social media.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury was short and concise at the media availability after Tuesday's practice.
"I don’t want to get into hypotheticals just yet. Nothing official on that,” Kingsbury said.
When a reporter asked if the coach had talked to him, Kingsbury replied with a simple “I have not.” Coach Kingsbury did go onto talk about the depth of the critical cornerback position on the team.
“We feel really good about where we are at with the position," he said. "Marco’s emergence has been really impressive for a young guy to step in and compete the way he has.”
According to some teammates, there has not been a lot of talk or thought on the Butler situation around the locker room.
“There hasn’t been much discussion. We have to keep the train moving," said linebacker Devon Kennard. "I personally don’t know anything about the situation. I wish him well. I hope he figures out whatever he has going on."
It was later revealed that Butler was placed on the team's retired/reserve list Tuesday. No word on how his absence will impact the plans for the Cardinals secondary moving forward.
As the 53-man roster deadline is Tuesday, on top of the news on Butler, wide receiver Christian Kirk brightened the room discussing his text sent to the birthday boy Larry Fitzgerald.
“I started texting him at like 7:30 this morning," he proclaimed. "We said that we appreciate him, we are grateful for him not only growing us as football players but as men off the field. He’s an old man now."
Leaving the door open to the curiosity surround Fitzgerald’s possible return to football.
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