Malcolm Butler, the man whose last-gasp play won the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots in 2015, has rebutted rumours he was left out of Sunday’s championship game due to a “perfect storm” of events.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Butler was omitted due to illness and minor discipline issues. Other reports said he had missed a team curfew. However, on Tuesday Butler issued a statement on Twitter with his own version of events.

“During my four-year career with the Patriots, I have always given it everything I have to play at a high level, and would never do anything to hurt my teams’ chances of winning a game, including this year’s Super Bowl, where I visited with my family every night,” he wrote. “During Super Bowl week, I never attended any concert, missed curfew, or participated [in] any of the ridiculous activities being reported. They are not only false, but hurtful to me and my family.”

Malcolm CB Butler (@Mac_BZ) pic.twitter.com/yapvjbDy5H

Butler, who had played in 98% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps leading up to Sunday’s loss to the Eagles was bemused when he was all but excluded from the action in Minneapolis, only making a brief appearance for special teams duty.

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Butler was seen in tears before the game and was at a loss to explain why he was omitted afterwards, with back-up Eric Rowe unexpectedly taking his place. “They gave up on me,” Butler told ESPN. “Fuck. It is what it is. “I don’t know what it was. I guess I wasn’t playing good or they didn’t feel comfortable. I don’t know. But I could have changed that game.”

Coach Bill Belichick’s decision, in a game in which the Patriots struggled to stop the Eagles offense, was called into question by many observers, including former New England cornerback Brandon Browner. He said Belichick was guilty of a “power trip”.

The famously taciturn Belichick would not expand on why he had omitted Butler. “I respect Malcolm’s competitiveness, and I’m sure that he felt like he could have helped,” he said on Monday. “I’m sure other players felt the same way. In the end, we have to make the decisions that we feel are best for the football team, and that’s what we did, that’s what I did.”

Butler had a disappointing regular season and is expected to leave the Patriots in the coming months.

“Although I wish could have contributed more to help my team win, I have to get ready for the next opportunity,” wrote Butler in Tuesday’s statement. “Moving forward, I will do what I have always done to work hard, and prepare for next season to be the best I can be on and off the field.”