Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker broke his silence after nearly two-weeks of intense backlash for his pro-Christian commencement speech at a Catholic college earlier this month.
Butker, a Catholic, criticized President Joe Biden, the LGBTQ community, and encouraged graduating women to embrace their role as a "homemaker" during his commencement speech at Benedictine College on May 11. The Chiefs kicker later faced scrutiny as critics suggested his remarks were "misogynistic," "homophobic," and "transphobic."
Shortly after Butker's speech, a petition was started on Change.org demanding Butker's dismissal from the Kansas City Chiefs. The petition has garnered over 227,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
Butker made his first public remarks on the controversy at Friday night's Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville.
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” Butker told the crowd. “Over the past few days, my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.”
“In my seven years in the NFL, I’ve become familiar with positive and negative comments. But the majority of them revolve around my performance on the field,” he said. “But, as to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most, my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I’ve become. It’s a decision I’ve consciously made, and one I do not regret at all.” Harrison Butker responds to criticism of his pro-life, pro-family message and says his only goal is to please Jesus.
"Not people, but Jesus Christ I’m trying to please." pic.twitter.com/8mDn3LQtEM
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) May 28, 2024
“As the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion,” Butker said of a growing number of supporters defending the Chiefs kicker's remarks. “The theme for tonight’s gala, Courage Under Fire, was decided many months ago, but it now feels providential that this would be the theme after what we have all witnessed these past two weeks.”
"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 for Christ," he continued. "My hope is that tonight’s theme, and RCA's mission, will embolden others, that many more will be unapologetic of their Catholic faith and never be afraid to speak out for truth, even when it goes against the loudest voices."
Fellow teammates Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Coach Andy Reid have publicly defended Butker's character and remarks, along with a series of other Catholic celebrities and media personalities.
Shortly after Butker's speech at Benedictine College, the NFL released a statement distancing itself from Butker's views expressed during his remarks.
"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," NFL's Senior Vice President Jonathan Beane told People Magazine. "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."
