Kylie Kelsey joined the chat.
During a recent appearance on “Cheddar,” Kelsey, who is the wife of former Eagles center Jason Kelsey, was asked about Harrison Butker’s now-viral commencement speech at Benedictine University in May.
The Chiefs kicker encouraged female graduates to embrace becoming “housewives” and said they had been told terrible lies on topics such as abortion, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy.
“I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Kelsey, a mother of three young daughters, said when asked about Butker’s comments. “Even if some of our graduates don’t agree with these opinions, I want them to know that what they’ve accomplished is something that can never be taken away from them. Their education will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Kelsey praised Benedictine’s female graduates and stressed the importance of women’s empowerment.
“I hope they were appropriately congratulated if that wasn’t what they thought, and if that’s what they thought and they’re looking forward to having a family and being a stay-at-home mom, then strength to them,” she said. “As women, I think we should support each other’s choices and make each other feel like they can do whatever they want to do.”
“So I hope that at the very least, the women who are graduating know that I am very proud of them, and that I hope they go on to do whatever makes them happy.”
This comes just weeks after Kelsey and Jason made headlines after they were confronted by an intoxicated woman who became enraged when they refused to pose for photos during a date night in New Jersey.
The woman later issued a public apology.
Butker doubled down on his commencement speech after receiving criticism for comments he made about women.
The three-time Super Bowl champion also praised his wife, Isabel, with whom he has two children, a son and a daughter, for embracing her role as a housewife.
“My beautiful wife, Isabel, would be the first to say her life truly began when she began to fulfill her calling as a wife and mother,” Butker said in his commencement speech, adding that he was “incredibly fortunate” that Isabel “converted to faith, became my wife, and embraced one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
The couple attended the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 2024 ring ceremony in Kansas City on Thursday night.
The NFL released a statement saying Butker’s comments did not align with the league’s values.
The Chiefs did not discipline Butker for the incident.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and players, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, were asked about Butker’s comments during OTAs.
“I didn’t talk to him about it. I didn’t think there was any need to,” Reed said at the time. “We’re a microcosm of life. We’re all from different parts of the world, different religions, different races. So we all get along and we respect each other’s opinions. We don’t necessarily follow them, but we respect that everyone has a voice. That’s the great thing about America. I wish we could all follow that.”
Mahomes defended his teammate’s character in a press conference.
“I’ve known him for seven years. I judge him by the character that he displays every day, which is a good person,” Mahomes told reporters at the Chiefs’ OTAs. “We don’t always agree. There are some things he’s said that I don’t agree with.”
Travis echoed a similar message, explaining that he disagreed with much of Butker’s speech.
“I agree with most, well, almost all of it, except that he loves his family and his children,” Travis said at the time, “and I don’t think we should judge him on his views on how to live life, especially his religious views. That’s not who I am.”
Chiefs running back Gracie Hunt also defended Butker when Steve Doocy questioned him about Butker’s comments during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” last Friday, saying she respects the kicker and his Christian faith.
The Chiefs open the 2024-25 season on Sept. 5 in Kansas City against the Ravens.
