Admin May 28, 2024
NFL player Harrison Butker gives controversial graduation speech
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker spoke about the “diabolical lies” told to women and spoke against Pride Month during a graduation speech.
The fallout from comments Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made at a recent college graduation ceremony continues, with Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, both weighing in.
The pair addressed Butker’s remarks about Pride Month, the COVID-19 pandemic, transgender people and the role of women in society on their popular “New Heights” podcast last week.
Jason admitted his wife Kylie was “a little frustrated” by some of Butker’s comments, especially those about women. That issue resurfaced on Monday when Jason pushed back on a social media comment that referred to his wife as a “homemaker whose home is a mess.”
“I think of her as my wife. I think of her as a mother. She has an occupation, as do I, and we keep our house the best we can. Our marriage is a partnership, we are equals who are figuring it out on the daily,” he responded.
Kelce continued: “The only expectation is that we love each other, support one another, and are committed to our family, that comes first. … If being a homemaker, works for some, and that’s what they want, then hell yea, that’s awesome, more power to you. I want to be clear, I’m not downplaying that at all, but that is not our family dynamic.”
On last week’s podcast, Travis also weighed in, saying that while Butker received considerable criticism for his comments, he still respected Butker as a teammate.
“I can’t say I agree with the majority of it, or just about any of it, outside of him loving his family and his kids,” the All-Pro tight end said. “I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life. That’s not just who I am.”
The NFL has sought to distance itself from Butker’s comments, however the kicker has not backed down. He told a group in Nashville on Friday night that discussing his Catholic faith and his opinions is “a decision I’ve consciously made and one I do not regret at all.”