Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s controversial graduation speech doesn’t appear to have affected his standing with his seven-year team.
Talking to journalists For the first time since Butker addressed Benedictine College graduates, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he disagreed with some of the statements made, but supported Butker’s character.
“I know Harrison. I’ve known him for seven years and I judge him by the character he shows every day and he’s a good person. He’s someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to do a good job.” impact on society. When you are in a locker room, there are many people from different walks of life and they have many different opinions about everything.
“We won’t always agree, and there are certain things he said that I don’t necessarily agree with, but I understand the person he is, and he’s trying to do everything he can to lead people in the right direction. He can may not be the same values as me, but at the same time, I will judge him by the character he shows every day. He is a great person and we will continue to move forward. We try to help each other improve every day.
When Butker asked him exactly what he disagreed with, Mahomes only alluded to “certain values that certain people emphasize more than others.”
Butker spoke on multiple politically sensitive topics, including his opposition to abortion, his opposition to in vitro fertilization, his opposition to LGBTQ pride, a false claim about the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act recently passed by the US House of Representatives, and his opposition to in vitro fertilization. USA and her belief that women have been told “diabolical lies” about pursuing professional careers instead of becoming homemakers.
The speech received applause at the conservative Benedectine College, while multiple groups, including a group of nuns affiliated with the school and some students, then criticized the statements. One of the Chiefs’ division rivals also got a quick shot.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had a similar reaction to Mahomes, emphasizing the team’s diversity and avoiding his thoughts on the content of the speech:
“I talk to Harrison all the time. I didn’t talk to him about this. I didn’t think it was necessary. We are a microcosm of life. We are all from different areas, different religions, different races, etc. We all get along, we all respect each other’s opinions. others and we are not necessarily guided by them, but we respect that everyone has a voice.
“It’s the best of America and we are, like I said, a microcosm of that. My wish is that everyone can follow that.”
Reid also said he did not believe the issue had become a distraction for the Chiefs and that no Chiefs employees had approached him with questions about Butker’s speech.
The controversy surrounding Butker has been just one of the few off-the-field stories about the reigning Super Bowl champions, which have seen wide receiver Rashee Rice arrested for his Lamborghini crash, the rejection of a stadium tax to support the team at Arrowhead Stadium and the arrest of two players for possession of marijuana.
Meanwhile, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell similarly noted the amount of differing opinions in the league’s locker rooms, via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports:
“We have over 3,000 players… They have a diversity of opinions and thoughts just like the United States. I think that’s something we treasure and that’s part of what ultimately makes us better as a society.”
The NFL had previously issued a statement distancing itself from Butker’s views.