Malcolm Butler's return to the Patriots was cut short as he was placed on season-ending IR on Tuesday. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — On a night when one New England Patriots Super Bowl was honored as he begins his retirement, another was placed on injured reserve, likely ending his surprising return to the team.

James White, a key in the Patriots historic Super Bowl LI comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, was feted in a ceremony Tuesday night inside the facilities at Gillette Stadium, but cornerback Malcolm Butler, whose goal line interception clinched the Patriots victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX, saw he return cut short. By rule, being placed on IR before rosters are finalized for the season automatically ends your season.

Of course, Butler is also a Super Bowl mystery as a Patriot, benched prior to the team’s loss in Super Bowl LII to the Philadelphia Eagles.

New England also placed corner Joejuan Williams on injured reserve and released rookie free agent P Jake Julien.

Butler, 32, who spent four seasons with the Patriots (2014-17) before leaving as a free agent for the Tennessee Titans and later the Arizona Cardinals, re-signed with New England on March 24 after sitting out all of last season, seemingly retiring in late August.

Butler, whom the Patriots originally signed as a rookie free agent, has played in 100 games with 84 starts and has registered 405 total tackles, three sacks, 17 interceptions with two returned for touchdowns, 82 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In addition, he has played in 12 postseason games with eight starts and has added 42 total tackles, two interceptions and 10 passes defensed.

Williams has just never fulfilled his promise. At 24, is a veteran of three NFL seasons after originally joining New England as a second-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder, has played in 36 games with one start and has registered 38 total tackles and seven special teams tackles. He has also played in two postseason games with one start, adding five total tackles and one special teams tackle.

Julien, 23, was originally signed by New England as a rookie free agent out of Eastern Michigan on May 9, 2022. The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder spent five years at Eastern Michigan and finished with 221 punts for 9,726 yards for a 44.0-yard average.