Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker sold more NFL merchandise than Travis Kelce in the wake of his controversial commencement speech earlier this year, it has been revealed.
Butker sparked outrage with her speech to graduates at Benedictine College in Kansas, where she told the women in the room that they should be more excited about becoming stay-at-home mothers than pursuing successful careers.
His controversial speech also included criticism of the LGBTQ+ community and President Joe Biden’s pro-abortion stance, which divided opinion across the United States in May when thousands of people signed a petition calling for Kansas City to terminate its contract with the team.
And incredibly, the Chiefs star made such a splash that he outsold his high-profile teammate Kelce on NFL merchandise listings earlier this year.
Harrison Butker (left) sold more NFL merchandise than Travis Kelce in the wake of his controversial commencement speech earlier this year.
He NFL Players Association has released a list of the top 20 players who generated the most sales from early March through the end of May, and Butker sits at No. 11.
Meanwhile, Kelce has to settle for 12th place despite gaining fame over the past year amid his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift.
Thanks to his highly publicized speech, Butker even managed to sell more merchandise than star quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (13th), Josh Allen (16th) and Russell Wilson (18th).
In a major upset, Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud tops the list ahead of Chiefs icon Patrick Mahomes in second place, despite only being in his second NFL season.
Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions), Amon-Ra St Brown (Detroit Lions), Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles), Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions), Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys ) and Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers) round out the rest of the top 10.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love comes in at No. 14 on the list, while Jets receiver Garrett Wilson comes in at No. 15.
Butker caused such a stir that he sold more official merchandise than his prominent teammate.
Kelce wasn’t a popular choice for buyers despite his romance with Taylor Swift
Wilson’s New York teammate Willow Gardner is ranked No. 17, with Lions quarterback Jared Goff at No. 19 and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby at No. 20.
Butker has enjoyed a surge in popularity following his appearance at Benedictine College in May, a couple of months after he helped the Chiefs win a second straight Super Bowl.
It’s also played a role in their flawless start to the season after kicking a last-gasp field goal to snatch victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last week.
Despite being cheered on by Swift in the stands, Kelce has failed to hit his peak form so far in the 2024 season, recording just four receptions for 39 yards in two appearances.