MINNEAPOLIS — The foundation that the Patriots dynasty was built on looked shaky in the aftermath of Super Bowl LII. 

For the better part of the last two decades, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick had ruled. For the second time, they had a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles before it all crumbled in a heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Unlike the two previous Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants, this 41-33 loss felt different.

For the first time in a long time, people were questioning a Belichick decision — and this one looked like it could’ve cost the Patriots a championship.

In the hours after Nick Foles ripped apart the Patriots secondary, one big question rippled through Patriots nation. Why didn't cornerback Malcolm Butler play a single defensive snap?

A day later, in the wake of heavy criticism, Bill Belichick offered few answers. 

“I respect Malcolm's competitiveness,” Belichick said on Monday. “I'm sure he felt he could've helped. I'm sure the players felt the same way. In the end we have to make the decision that we feel are best for the football team. That’s what we did. That’s what I did.” 

The question as to why Belichick didn’t play one of his best cornerbacks was on everyone’s mind, including former players, in the aftermath of Sunday’s loss. Ty Law tweeted, “We need to get to bottom of this Malcolm Butler situation, I’m baffled about this one. We needed that man on the field.”

Former Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner ripped Belichick in a series of Instagram posts. One depicts Butler crying during the national anthem and Browner called the Patriots locker room “divided.” He added “you were hurt/burnt where he was needed tonight.. #foolishpride.” The post was liked by current Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower, former Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins and former Patriots cornerback Alfonzo Dennard. 

On Sunday, Butler played one special-teams snap — on the punt coverage team — in the second quarter as Eric Rowe started Super Bowl LII. Rowe gave up a long touchdown to Alshon Jeffery in the first quarter. The Patriots also used three safeties for most of the game, but it was curious to see Jordan Richards out on the field over Butler. Richards, who played 16 defensive snaps, allowed a 55-yard pass play to Eagles running back Corey Clement.

When it came time for the Patriots to use a third cornerback, they used special teamer Johnson Bademosi, who played 11 defensive snaps. On Bademosi’s first snap, he gave up a catch and missed a tackle on third down.

When asked why he played Bademosi over Butler in those three cornerback situations, Belichick responded, “He practiced it the most.”

Butler was listed as a full practice participant on the final day of practice and practice with the Patriots all week after arriving late to Minnesota due to an illness.

The decision to not play Butler is even stranger when you consider that he led the Patriots in defensive snaps (1,037), playing 97.8 percent of the plays. Butler also played 100 percent of the defensive snaps in the Patriots two playoff wins this season over the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

In the end, the Patriots defense had one of the worst performances in Super Bowl, and Patriots, history. The 538 yards allowed were the most ever given up by a Belichick Patriots defense. Meanwhile, the 33 points that the offense scored is the most by a losing Super Bowl team.

Although Belichick mentioned that he put the game plan and players out on the field that gave his team the best chance to win, the question over Butler not playing remains. Asked again if he could give any clarity to the situation, Belichick wouldn’t divulge his thinking. 

"I appreciate the question, but it would be a much longer discussion,” the coach said. “There are a lot of things that go into that. In the end, the final decision is what I said it was."

Belichick will enter an offseason where he’s expected to lose multiple coaches, including both coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia. Butler, a free agent, is almost certainly gone. The Patriots will press forward as their success will hinge on many of Belichick’s choices — whether we understand them or not.