Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker reiterated his beliefs on Friday night after his commencement speech at Benedictine University on May 11 drew strong backlash and intense backlash, The Daily Wire first reported.
Butker’s first public comments since speaking at the Regina Caeli Academy (RCA) Courage Under Fire Gala in Nashville were read out loud. The Chiefs kicker, who attended as a member of the school’s board of directors, thanked guests and attendees for the event before speaking about the gala’s theme, “Courage Under Fire,” noting that “this was decided upon months ago.”
BREAKING: In his first public comments since his commencement speech sparked liberal outrage, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made it clear he won’t compromise his faith. Follow pic.twitter.com/q3Vh0KpvTg
— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) May 25, 2024
“It may not have been clear before that our timeless Catholic values are disliked by many, but it is now clear. Over the past few days, my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless debates around the world. Initially, many expressed shocking levels of hatred,” Butker said.
Butker continued to address the difference between the backlash he received from the NFL and now, saying he’s sticking to his beliefs. (RELATED: Harrison Butker’s jersey soars onto best-seller lists after epic commencement speech, I might have to buy one)
“But as the days went by, even those who disagree with my views began to support my religious freedom. During my seven years in the NFL, I grew accustomed to both positive and negative comments, most of which were about my performance on the field. But naturally, the more I spoke about my Catholic faith, which I hold most dear, the more polarized I became. This was a decision I made consciously and do not regret at all. If there is truth and mercy, then we should trust in the Lord’s providence and let the Holy Spirit do the rest of the work,” Butker said.
“Our love for Jesus and our desire to speak out must never be overtaken by our fallen nature’s desire to be loved by the world. No matter what opposition or support we face, our motivation should always be to glorify God and not ourselves. I will look to those closest to me for guidance, but I must never forget that it is Jesus Christ, not people, that I am trying to please.”
Butker added that he was “humbled” by the support he’d received, saying all the backlash he’d received was nothing compared to “the courage shown by so many saints in their lives.”
“When I constantly remind myself of the sufferings that the saints went through, especially the persecuted martyrs, everything seems not so bad. If heaven is our goal, we should embrace our cross, big or small, and live joyfully to be bold witnesses for Christ,” Butker said.
Butker’s encouraging remarks to “housewives” at Benedictine University’s commencement speech drew applause from the audience but mixed reviews from critics. A petition calling for Butker to be fired from his NFL job for being a “sexist, homophobic, anti-transgender, anti-abortion and racist” has garnered more than 100,000 signatures on Change.org.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce didn’t necessarily agree with Butker’s opinions but defended his right to make the comments.
What’s new: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce defended kicker Harrison Butker’s comments during a speech but said he doesn’t necessarily agree with Butker’s views.
“I value him as a teammate. Like Pat said, he’s just a great person and a great teammate.”
“he… pic.twitter.com/uEPZxfsvKJ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 24, 2024
But Kelce’s brother Jason, a former Philadelphia Eagles center, had a humorous response.
Jason Kelce had the best reaction to Harrison Butker’s comments.
“My wife was a little annoyed at first with some of the comments, so I said, ‘Go back into the kitchen and make me a sandwich.'”
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) May 24, 2024
In addition to encouraging women, Butker also criticized President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion. Despite the backlash, sales of Butker’s jerseys skyrocketed, ranking 72nd out of a total of 8,197 jerseys on the team’s best-selling list.
