Days after a college commencement speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker garnered backlash, the NFL is responding. The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at Benedictine College, a Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, about 60 miles north of Kansas City. The speechButker, who has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, began his address by attacking what he called “dangerous gender ideologies” in an apparent reference to Pride month, which has been celebrated in June since the Stonewall riots in 1969. The 28-year-old Butker then took aim at Biden’s policies, including his response to COVID-19, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique,” he said. “The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.”Butker later addressed the women in the audience, arguing that their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker.””I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”What the NFL is sayingWhile the Chiefs have declined to comment on Butker’s commencement address, a league official is distancing the NFL from the kicker’s comments in a statement to People.”Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, told the outlet. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech has become of the NFL’s best kickers, breaking the Chiefs’ franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.Social media backlashButker’s comments have caught fire on the internet with some of the harshest critics being from fans of Taylor Swift.Swift, a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, is famously dating Butker’s teammate, tight end Travis Kelce. Butker quoted Swift’s song “Bejeweled” during his speech.” ust alienated the new fans that Taylor Swift brought to your team and the NFL last season,” one fan wrote. If anyone could hold the NFL, Chiefs, and Butker accountable for misogynistic speeches, it’s the Swifties,” wrote another fan. “We generated millions of new income for their organization. It is not a fan base to mess with. Do better Harrison.”Neither Swift nor Kelce have publicly commented on Butker’s speech.What the graduates are sayingGraduates had mixed views on the speech. ValerieAnne Volpe, 20, who graduated with an art degree, lauded Butker for saying things that “people are scared to say.””You can just hear that he loves his wife. You can hear that he loves his family,” she said.Elle Wilbers, 22, who is heading to medical school, said she was shocked by Butker’s criticism of priests and bishops and his reference to the LGBTQ+ community, one that she described as “horrible.””We should have compassion for the people who have been told all their life that the person they love is like, it’s not OK to love that person,” Wilbers said.Kassidy Neuner, 22, who will spend a gap year teaching before going to law school, said being a stay-at-home parent is “a wonderful decision.”“And it’s also not for everybody,” Neuner added, saying, “I think that he should have addressed more that it’s not always an option. And, if it is your option in life, that’s amazing for you. But there’s also the option to be a mother and a career woman.”
Days after a college commencement speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker garnered backlash, the NFL is responding.
The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at Benedictine College, a Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, about 60 miles north of Kansas City.
The speech
Butker, who has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, began his address by attacking what he called “dangerous gender ideologies” in an apparent reference to Pride month, which has been celebrated in June since the Stonewall riots in 1969.
The 28-year-old Butker then took aim at Biden’s policies, including his response to COVID-19, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique,” he said. “The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.”
Butker later addressed the women in the audience, arguing that their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker.”
“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker said. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
What the NFL is saying
While the Chiefs have declined to comment on Butker’s commencement address, a league official is distancing the NFL from the kicker’s comments in a statement to People.
“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, told the outlet. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech has become of the NFL’s best kickers, breaking the Chiefs’ franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.
Social media backlash
Butker’s comments have caught fire on the internet with some of the harshest critics being from fans of Taylor Swift.
Swift, a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, is famously dating Butker’s teammate, tight end Travis Kelce. Butker quoted Swift’s song “Bejeweled” during his speech.
“[Butker] ust alienated the new fans that Taylor Swift brought to your team and the NFL last season,” one fan wrote.
If anyone could hold the NFL, Chiefs, and Butker accountable for misogynistic speeches, it’s the Swifties,” wrote another fan. “We generated millions of new income for their organization. It is not a fan base to mess with. Do better Harrison.”
Neither Swift nor Kelce have publicly commented on Butker’s speech.
What the graduates are saying
Graduates had mixed views on the speech. ValerieAnne Volpe, 20, who graduated with an art degree, lauded Butker for saying things that “people are scared to say.”
“You can just hear that he loves his wife. You can hear that he loves his family,” she said.
Elle Wilbers, 22, who is heading to medical school, said she was shocked by Butker’s criticism of priests and bishops and his reference to the LGBTQ+ community, one that she described as “horrible.”
“We should have compassion for the people who have been told all their life that the person they love is like, it’s not OK to love that person,” Wilbers said.
Kassidy Neuner, 22, who will spend a gap year teaching before going to law school, said being a stay-at-home parent is “a wonderful decision.”
“And it’s also not for everybody,” Neuner added, saying, “I think that he should have addressed more that it’s not always an option. And, if it is your option in life, that’s amazing for you. But there’s also the option to be a mother and a career woman.”
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