In the span of a few breathtaking moments, Malcolm Butler was involved in two of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history and one of the greatest moments of his life.

The Vicksburg native sealed the New England Patriots’ 28-24 victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX by intercepting Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left Sunday night.

The pick, the first of the rookie cornerback’s career, made him a legend in both Super Bowl and Patriots lore as well as the first player from Vicksburg ever to be on a Super Bowl winner.

Butler was the first person interviewed on the field during NBC’s postgame show — even before MVP Tom Brady. The finish also capped Butler’s remarkable rise from undrafted free agent to SUper Bowl hero.

“I just had a vision I was going to make a big play, and it came true,” Butler said in his postgame interview with NBC’s Michelle Tafoya. “I’m just blessed. I can’t explain it right now.”

Butler didn’t play much in the first half, but saw plenty of action with the game on the line. He finished with three solo tackles, three pass defenses and the key interception, all in the last quarter and a half.

Two plays before the interception, he leaped high in the air to make a spectacular breakup of Wilson’s pass to Jermaine Kearse inside the 10-yard line.

The ball landed on Kearse’s legs, however, and the receiver somehow managed to pull it in for a 33-yard teception to give the Seahawks the ball at the 5-yard line with about a minute left.

The Seahawks handed the ball off to Marshawn Lynch on the next play, then tried to run a slant pass to Ricardo Lockette on second down. Butler cut inside of Lockette and snatched the ball at the 1 to clinch the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl victory since 2001.

“I just knew they were going to throw there,” Butler said to Tafoya. “It all comes down to preparation, and I knew the pick was coming. It’s just crazy right now.”

Butler was one of the unlikeliest of heroes for the Patriots. The former Vicksburg High star was once kicked out of Hinds Community College for disciplinary reasons, but straightened his life out and earned a second chance from the coaching staff there.

He went on to star at Division II West Alabama, got a free agent tryout with the Patriots and made the team with a spectacular performance in training camp, and then played well enough throughout the season to be in position to make the biggest play of the team’s season.

“I have to mention the interception by Malcolm Butler,” Brady said during a postgame interview with NFL Network. “It shows you what kind of kid he is, and he’s got a great future.”

Butler’s moment in the spotlight brought shouts and tears of joy from houses all over Vicksburg. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, Butler had posted messages of thanks on his Facebook and Twitter feeds to those in his hometown, and they were happy to celebrate the moment with him from nearly 2,000 miles away.

“I’m just happy for Malcolm,” said Jessie Lewis, Butler’s barber when he’s in Vicksburg and whose son, Raphael Harris, played with Butler at Vicksburg High. “He is one of the nicest guys you can be. He is a living testimony for anybody to get back in school.”