Over the course of an hour in early February, in a stadium nearly 1,500 miles away, Vicksburg’s biggest sports story of 2015 was authored.

Vicksburg native Malcolm Butler’s transformation from backup cornerback to star in Super Bowl XLIX for the New England Patriots put the city on a worldwide stage. The then-rookie went to Disneyland, gave away an award at the Grammys, was the star attraction at victory parades in Boston and Vicksburg, and then became a Pro Bowler this season.

Every step of the way, Butler reminded the country of his hometown and became an ambassador for it.

“It was a great feeling just like it was in Boston. But it feels even better when you’re in your hometown and you know all the people around. That makes it more special,” Butler said after a parade in downtown Vicksburg was thrown in his honor on Feb. 22. “It’s been a great day. I appreciate Vicksburg. All the sponsors, my coaches, my agent, my mom, family, the New England Patriots organization for giving me an opportunity. But I wouldn’t have believed none of it until it happened.”

Butler was dismissed and then reinstated from Hinds Community College in 2010, went on to become an All-Gulf South Conference player at Division II West Alabama, and signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in May 2014. He made the roster and played in 14 games as a rookie, but barely saw the field in the first half of Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks.

Butler entered the lineup midway through the third quarter and made a string of key defensive plays that bolstered New England’s struggling secondary. With 26 seconds left and Seattle at the 1-yard line, Butler beat receiver Ricardo Lockette to the ball on a slant route for the first interception of his career, and probably the biggest no matter what he does during the rest of it.

National attention followed, but Butler also kept his hometown of Vicksburg front and center. He returned to the city for the victory parade in late February, again in July to conduct a free football camp, and during the Patriots bye week in October to talk to students at his alma mater Vicksburg High School.

“You always got to do something for your hometown, that’s common sense,” Butler said after his football camp at Memorial Stadium. “If I didn’t do that, it would have shown less character of me.”