Kicker for the Kansas City Harrison Butker defends contentious commencement address

TFD – Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has defended his controversial commencement speech, emphasizing his Catholic values amid widespread backlash. Despite the criticism, Butker remains steadfast in his beliefs, drawing support and opposition from various quarters.

Harrison Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, defended his controversial speech at a recent college commencement and highlighted his Catholic religion in his first public remarks.

Butker declared, “If it wasn’t obvious that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” on Friday night at the “Courage Under Fire” event in Nashville.

The Daily Wire, a right-wing media organization, shared the Nashville speech with X.

The three-time Super Bowl champion has never before spoken in public his graduating speech from May 11 at Benedictine College, a small Catholic university in Kansas. Butker made remarks during his speech that were widely perceived as homophobic and sexist. Among other things, he said that a woman’s achievements in the house are more valuable than any academic or professional aspirations and referred to Pride Month as a “deadly sin.”

Regina Caeli Academy, a Catholic school organization with multiple campuses around the nation that combines homeschooling and campus learning, was the host of Friday night’s gala. Several additional speakers were featured at the gala, including Matt Walsh, the anchor of the Daily Wire and a well-known figure in the right-wing media.

Butker, a member of the school’s board of directors, said, “My beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions over the past few days, around the globe.”

“A startling amount of hate was expressed by many in the beginning. However, as the days passed, even people who didn’t agree with my opinions expressed support for my right to practice my religion freely,” Butker stated on Friday.

“Our love for Jesus and thus our desire to speak out should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world,” Butker said, reaffirming his allegiance to his Catholic faith.

Throughout his address, Butker made reference to Saint Daniel, the historical prophet who, in defiance of a law that sentenced worshippers to death, committed himself to prayer to God and was cast into a lion’s den.

Butker remarked, “I shudder to think of the courage many saints have shown in their lives.”

The Old Testament says that Daniel’s devotion to faith saved him from judgment.

Would I act so brazenly if the outcome resembled Daniel’s experience of being thrown to lions? Any bravery I have truly displayed will result in some minor suffering. The Chiefs kicker stated, “And it will lead to some people maybe never liking me, but that could be God’s will.”

Earlier this month, the NFL released a statement stating that Butker’s remarks do not represent the opinions of the league.

LGBT advocacy group GLAAD criticized Butker for his remarks in his address on May 11th, calling them “a clear miss” and “woefully out of step with Americans about Pride, LGBTQ people, and women.”

Butker’s message was also rejected by the nuns of Mount St. Scholastica monastery, which sponsored Benedictine College and was one of its founding institutions. In a statement, the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica stated, “We as a community do not think that Harrison Butker’s remarks from his commencement speech at Benedictine College in 2024 represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.” “His remarks seem to have fostered division rather than unity in our church, our country, and the world.”

In response to Butker’s graduating speech, Travis Kelce, a top player for the Chiefs, stated that while he disagrees with “just about any” of his opinions, he still likes Butker as a teammate.

He is a teammate that I treasure. On the most recent episode of the podcast “New Heights,” which he co-hosts with his brother Jason, Kelce stated, “I think Pat (Mahomes) said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate.”