Harrison Butker stands by commencement speech: ‘I was coming from a place of love’

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. ( WDAF ) — Harrison Butker is nothing if not consistent.

The Kansas City Chiefs kicker was consistent even as a high school athlete where he helped his alma mater win three state championships in soccer. He was consistent at Georgia Tech where he kicked his way to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer, and he has been consistent with the Kansas City Chiefs throughout his seven-year career.

The 29-year-old Catholic is also remaining consistent as he defends a controversial commencement speech he gave at Benedictine College in May. His address to graduates drew backlash over his comments about women in the workforce.

“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker said. “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. I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”

In his first availability with local media since helping the Chiefs win their second straight Super Bowl, he doubled down on the speech.

“I stand behind what I said,” Butker said about his speech. “I really believe if people knew me as a person and understood that I was coming from a place of love and not a place of trying to attack or put people down, that I only want the best for people. That’s what I was trying to say there. I think the people that were in that gymnasium all understood what I was saying.”

He also criticized President Joe Biden for his handling of COVID-19 and for “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America” in a reference to the LGBTQ community.

“Not the deadly sins sort of Pride that has an entire month dedicated to it,” Butker said, “but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the holy ghost to glorify him.”

While the speech drew criticism online (and sparked jokes from tennis legend Serena Williams ) the crowd in-person seemed more supportive. Applause, cheers and laughter could be heard during his speech.

“I’ve always been encouraged by people that state their opinions and they’re very bold in what their beliefs are. I think that brings people closer together,” Butker said Wednesday. “In this locker room, we’ve become very close because guys are extremely open about their beliefs. We are living in a better world if people are open, and they’re not afraid to share their viewpoints.

While teammate Patrick Mahomes called Butker a “ great person ” in the wake of the controversy, he said he disagreed with the kicker’s beliefs. Travis Kelce made similar comments .

“Seven years in the league, having this platform, I’ve just decided, you know what, there’s things that I believe wholeheartedly that I think will make this world a better place and I’m going to preach that and if people don’t agree they don’t agree, but I’m going to continue to say what I believe to be true. And love everyone along the way.”

He believes his comments about women in the commencement speech were misunderstood.

“I think then it gets construed that I’m trying to put women down which I’m not at all. I love women. I love my wife and it comes from a place of love,” he said. “My wife had never heard me speak publicly and she was there for that moment and she was up in the background in one of the offices up there, and I was getting emotional, looking at her crying and understanding that she has sacrificed so much for me. She has completely changed her life around and she has made sure she has focused on being the ultimate wife and the ultimate mother, and I love her so much for that.”

Butker encouraged Kansans to vote for the Value Them Both Amendment that would have restricted abortions in Kansas in 2022. In 2023, he also gave a commencement speech to his alma mater telling graduates to “get married and start a family” as an antidote to anxiety.

The Chiefs signed Butker as the highest-paid kicker in the NFL before he heads into his eighth season. The deal that he negotiated is worth four years, $25.6 million with $17.8 million guaranteed, according to reports. Butker will make an average of $6.4 million a year and is signed through the 2028 season.

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