WHO KER-S?
‘I do not regret at all,’ Harrison Butker says of divisive graduation speech with Chiefs star doubling down on his views
Many members of the Chiefs franchise has come to Butker's defense
KANSAS City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has delivered a defiant message to his critics after being slammed for the remarks he made during a divisive commencement speech.
The NFL star came under fire after expressing divisive views on abortion, the LGBTQ+ community, and women while addressing Benedictine College graduates earlier this month.
2
2
Butker, 28, who's a devout Catholic, brushed off the criticism during Friday's Courage Under Fire Gala at the Regina Caeli Academy.
"If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now," the Chiefs kicker said.
"Over the past few days, my beliefs – or what people think I believe – have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.
"At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate.
READ MORE ON THE NFL
"But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion.
"In my seven years in the NFL, I've become familiar with the positive and negative comments.
"But the majority of them revolved around my performance on the field."
"But, as to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most — which is my Catholic faith — the more polarizing I’ve become.
Most read in American Football
"It’s a decision I’ve consciously made and one I do not regret at all."
In his commencement speech at Benedictine College, Butker spoke out against abortion and Pride month while encouraging female graduates to embrace their "vocation as a wife and as a mother."
The NFL kicker's comments sparked plenty of outrage across the US.
ESPN NFL host Laura Rutledge hits back at Chiefs star Harrison Butker and says it's 'great to be a woman with a career'
But many members of the Chiefs franchise have defended the former Georgia Tech standout.
"I know Harrison," Patrick Mahomes recently said.
"I’ve known Harrison for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day and that’s a good person.
"That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family, and wants to make a good impact on society."
Butker's most controversial remarks from speech
The NFL has distanced themselves from the comments
Harrison Butker's commencement speech at Benedictine College has gone viral after he spoke out on abortion, Pride month, and Covid-19 lockdown measures.
An outspoken Catholic, the NFL kicker urged students to stay on the path of righteousness and religion during his address.
Butker took a swipe at President Biden for supporting abortion rights which he labelled as the "murder of innocent babies".
"Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder," he continued.
"Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally."
Butker went on to call Pride month a "deadly sin," and suggested it promoted "dangerous gender ideologies."
He also singled out female graduates in the audience and told them they had been told "diabolical lies."
"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment," he began.
"I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.
"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."
The NFL has since responded, saying: "[Butker's] views are not those of the NFL as an organization."
At the same time, Mahomes distanced himself from some of Butker's claims.
"When you're in the locker room, there's a lot of people from a lot of different areas of life," the two-time NFL MVP said.
"They have a lot of different views on everything. And we're not always going to agree.
"There’s certain things that he said I don’t necessarily agree with.
"But I understand the person that he is and he’s trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction.
"And that might not be the same values as I have.
"But at the same time, I’m going to judge him by the character that he shows every single day — and that’s a great person."
Read More on The US Sun
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce echoed Mahomes' claims, saying he wouldn't judge Butker by his religious views.
Kansas City heiress Gracie Hunt had a similar response – while saying she respected Butker's faith.