Chiefs owner's wife Tavia Hunt breaks her silence on Harrison Butker controversy... and appears to BACK under-fire star after 'sexist' speech
- Butker sparked outrage by criticizing women and Pride Month at the weekend
- But Tavia, wife of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, has appeared to defend him online
- READ MORE: Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt defends Butker commencement speech
The wife of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has appeared to defend Harrison Butker amid fury over the NFL star's controversial commencement speech.
Tavia Hunt, who married the Kansas City CEO back in 1993, took to Instagram on Thursday to highlight the importance of motherhood and stress that a person sharing a different point of view 'doesn't make them hateful'.
Last weekend Butker sparked outrage by suggesting women are more passionate about being stay-at-home mothers than pursuing a career, taking aim at Pride Month and criticizing President Joe Biden's pro-abortion stance in a divisive speech at Benedictine College.
A day after his address, a petition was set up to have the Chiefs kicker removed from the team's roster ahead of the 2024 NFL season, which has now received over 187,000 signatures.
But Tavia has seemingly backed Butker over his views on women, insisting there is nothing 'bigoted' about praising a good mother.
![Tavia and Clark Hunt](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85018821-13431389-image-m-75_1715973121240.jpg)
![Harrison Butker](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85019635-13431389-image-a-76_1715973131631.jpg)
Tavia Hunt (left), the wife of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark (second from left), has appeared to defend Harrison Butker (right) over his controversial commencement speech
![Butker sparked outrage at the weekend by criticizing women, the LGBTQ+ community and President Joe Biden's pro-abortion stance in a speec at Benedictine College](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85019639-13431389-image-a-77_1715973189262.jpg)
Butker sparked outrage at the weekend by criticizing women, the LGBTQ+ community and President Joe Biden's pro-abortion stance in a speec at Benedictine College
![But Hunt has seemingly come out in support of the Chiefs kicker in a post on Instagram](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85019831-13431389-image-a-78_1715973387150.jpg)
But Hunt has seemingly come out in support of the Chiefs kicker in a post on Instagram
'I’ve always encouraged my daughters to be highly educated and chase their dreams,' she wrote alongside a selection of photos of her and her children.
'I want them to know that they can do whatever they want (that honors God). But I also want them to know that I believe finding a spouse who loves and honors you as or before himself and raising a family together is one of the greatest blessings this world has to offer.
'Studies show that committed, married couples with children are the happiest demographic, and this has been my experience as well.
'*Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman’s hard work in raising children is not in vain.*
'Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children. Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion.
'Let’s celebrate families, motherhood and fatherhood. Our society desperately needs dedicated men and women to raise up and train the next generation in the way they should go.
'Proverbs 31:28 says, “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Embracing the beautiful roles that God has made is something to celebrate.
![Tavia (pictured with husband Clark and daughter Gracie, right) highlighted the importance of motherhood after Butker suggested women should be stay-at-home mothers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/81054345-13431389-Tavia_pictured_with_husband_Clark_and_daughter_Gracie_right_high-m-80_1715973594178.jpg)
Tavia (pictured with husband Clark and daughter Gracie, right) highlighted the importance of motherhood after Butker suggested women should be stay-at-home mothers
![Kansas City Chiefs heiress Gracie also defended Butker's controversial speech this week](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85009859-13431389-Kansas_City_Chiefs_heiress_Gracie_Hunt_has_defended_Harrison_But-a-81_1715973611369.jpg)
Kansas City Chiefs heiress Gracie also defended Butker's controversial speech this week
![A petition calling for Kansas City to drop their kicker now has over 187,000 signatures](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85019941-13431389-image-a-82_1715973629300.jpg)
A petition calling for Kansas City to drop their kicker now has over 187,000 signatures
'*I also caution against taking things out of context. Sound bites overlaid with hateful comments are not what we want to model for our children or others. We need more dialogue (and VALUES, IMO) in this country and less hate.*'
Tavia is not the only woman from the Hunt family on Butker's side, nevertheless, with her daughter and Chiefs heiress Gracie also coming out in support of the player.
'I can only speak from my own experience which is I have had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us,' Gracie told Fox & Friends.
'I understand there are many women out there who can't make that decision, but for me and my life I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings in who we are.'
The blurb for the petition calling for Butker to be released by Kansas City described the speech as 'sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist.'
The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered his roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, which is located about 60 miles miles north of Kansas City.
![Butker (center) won his third Super Bowl as a Kansas City player back in February](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/20/85020117-13431389-image-a-83_1715973790130.jpg)
Butker (center) won his third Super Bowl as a Kansas City player back in February
He received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees.
The NFL has also distanced itself from the Kansas City player's views on women, Pride month and more, insisting his comments do not reflect the opinions of the league.
'Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. 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 league's chief diversity and inclusion officer, Jonathan Beane, said.
'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,' Beane, who is also a senior vice president, said.