Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker reiterated his convictions Friday evening following an intense response to his viral May 11 commencement address at Benedictine College, the Daily Wire first reported.
Butker made his first public remarks since the speech at the Regina Caeli Academy’s (RCA) “Courage Under Fire Gala” in Nashville, attending as a board member of the school. The Chiefs kicker began by thanking guests and attendees at the event before pivoting to the theme of the gala, “Courage Under Fire,” which he noted “was decided many months ago.”
BREAKING: In first public remarks since his commencement speech sparked a liberal meltdown, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker makes very clear he’s not backing down from his faith. @buttkicker7 pic.twitter.com/q3Vh0KpvTg
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) May 25, 2024
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now. 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,” Butker stated.
Butker continued to note the differences between receiving backlash from the NFL to now, and noted how he is standing by his faith. (RELATED: Harrison Butker’s Jersey Rockets Up Bestseller List After Mega-Based Commencement Speech, And I Might Have To Get One)
“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 revolve 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 have become. It’s a decision I’ve consciously made and one I do not regret at all. If we have truth and charity, we should trust in the Lord’s providence and let the Holy Ghost do the rest of the work,” Butker stated.
“Our love for Jesus and thus our desire to speak out should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world. Glorifying God and not ourselves should always remain our motivation, despite any pushback or even support. I lean on those closest to me for guidance, but I can never forget that it is not people, but Jesus Christ, who I’m trying to please.”
Butker added he was “humbled” by the support he received, and all the backlash he has suffered cannot compare to the “courage many saints have shown in their lives.”
“If I constantly remind myself of the hardships the saints went through, especially the martyrs in their persecution, it makes it all seem not so bad. For if Heaven is our goal, we should embrace our cross, however large or small it may be, and live our life with joy to be a bold witness to Christ,” Butker said.
During Butker’s commencement speech at Benedectine College, a portion of his remarks encouraged “homemakers,” receiving applause from the audience; however, critics gave mixed reviews. A petition for “sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist” Butker to be fired from his NFL position has racked up over 100,000 signatures on Change.org.
Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Chiefs, defended Butker’s right to make the comments, though he didn’t necessarily agree with his opinion.
NEW: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce defends kicker Harrison Butker for comments he made during a speech but says he doesn’t necessarily agree with his opinions.
“I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat said it best: He is every bit of a great person & a great teammate.”
“He’s… pic.twitter.com/uEPZxfsvKJ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 24, 2024
Kelce’s brother, Jason, a former center for the Philadelphia Eagles, however, shared a humorous reaction.
Jason kelce had the best reaction to the Harrison Butker comments:
“My wife she was a little frustrated with some of the comments initially, I said listen, “YOU’RE GONNA NEED TO GO BACK IN THE KITCHEN AND MAKE ME A SANDWICH.”
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) May 24, 2024
In addition to Butker’s encouragement towards women, the kicker criticized President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion. Regardless of the pushback, sales of Butker’s jersey skyrocketed, ranking among the top 72 of 8,197 total jerseys featured as the team’s best-sellers list.