The Undefeated

Two West Alabama draft hopefuls are inspired by Super Bowl hero

When Malcolm Butler made that dramatic goal line interception in the final minute of Super Bowl XLIX, it turned out to be more than a game-winning play. Butler would later describe it as a dream play, but it was more than that, it was an inspiration for two West Alabama draft hopefuls.

Butler wouldn’t have been aware of what those few seconds meant to Tirelle Cullen and Martaze Jackson. The two West Alabama defensive players are in training for May’s NFL draft, and that play by Butler was just the inspiration they needed to help them stay focused on their NFL dream.

The duo had travelled to Wingstop, South Florida for Super Bowl Sunday, and although gripped by all the action, they kept their eyes on Butler, who was their former teammate.

Cullen explains how he felt about that final play. “I saw No. 21, and I was bragging to everyone around, saying ‘that’s my boy in the Super Bowl! That’s my boy!’ When I saw him make the break on the pass, I knew it. I knew what would happen next.”

They know what it meant for Butler, because they know what it cost him to get there. Jackson recalls that Butler went undrafted, and couldn’t even find an agent willing to represent him. But he had a dream, so he kept playing, and in the end he not only made it to the Super Bowl, but he made an amazing game-changing defensive play. It was a play that inspired Jackson and Cullen to keep their dream alive.

Jackson and Cullen were at the first regional combine of the year held on Feb 7, at the Miami Dolphins’ training facility. Although they weren’t invited to NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, the exposure they gain is important. They can move on from there to the Super Regional Combine, where they have the opportunity to be seen and noticed by NFL scouts. Cullen and Jackson know what’s possible, and Butler has inspired them to hope, and believe.

Cullen remembers Butler as hardworking, determined, and humble in College, and he believes he’s utterly deserving of his success. More than just serving as an inspiration, Butler’s play also put the spotlight on West Alabama. Since Butler’s big Super Bowl play, more teams have expressed an interest in attending West Alabama’s Pro Day.

That’s good news for Cullen and Jackson, because more scouts increase their chances of being seen, and getting picked up. But they know what the journey is like; they know that what Butlers’ success is not the norm. Nevertheless, Butler has inspired them to believe that anything is possible, so they are prepared to stick to the plan, despite the long odds they face.