With the departure of Darrelle Revis there was a question if Malcolm Butler would be able to step into the No. 1 cornerback spot for the New England Patriots.
It appears the unlikely Super Bowl XLIX hero has passed his first test against Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown.
"He competed well," said Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. "[Antonio Brown] is one of the two or three best route runners in the game, all the power to you. I think Darrelle Revis is the probably the only cornerback in the league that can handle Antonio Brown for 60 full minutes.
"The kid competed. He was always in the ballpark. I know, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. But when you're Malcolm Butler making, what, your second start against the guy that just led the NFL in receptions... I think he competed well and there's a lot to build on."