Harrison Butker’s Kansas City Chiefs jersey is among the “most popular” at the official NFL store, despite continued backlash against his recent controversial speech at a college graduation ceremony.
Three-time Super Bowl winner gave keynote speech in Kansas benedictine collegea private Catholic liberal arts school, on Saturday.
She congratulated the women who received their degrees and said most of them were probably most excited about getting married and having children. She also said some Catholic leaders were “imposing dangerous gender ideologies on America’s youth.”
Butker, whose own mother is an accomplished physicist, also criticized Pride month and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.
The controversial speech has sparked strong backlash, but it appears Butker still has plenty of fans on his side after his Chiefs jersey appeared to be among the most searched products on NFL.com.
Harrison Butker’s Chiefs Jersey Among ‘Most Popular’ Items at Official NFL Store
Butker has faced backlash for telling some of the women graduates that they should be more excited about becoming stay-at-home wives rather than forging their own careers.
He currently wears No. 7 for the Chiefs and his jersey boasted the “most popular jersey” tag, along with replicas of Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey.
In a statement Thursday, Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said: “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity.
‘Their views are not those of the NFL as an organization. “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only strengthens our league.”
Butker delivered his roughly 20-minute speech at the private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, which is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Kansas City.
He received a standing ovation from some graduates and other attendees.
“I think it’s you women who have been told the most diabolical lies,” Butker said.
‘Some of you may go on to have successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that most of you are more 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 that her life truly began when she began to live her calling as a wife and mother.’
Butker said his wife adopted “one of the most important titles of all.” She’s a housewife.
Butker, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs, wears the team’s No. 7 jersey
The 28-year-old referred to a “mortal sin, a kind of pride to which a month is dedicated” in an indirect reference to Pride month.
Butker also took aim at Biden’s policies, including his condemnation of the Supreme Court’s overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and his defense of free choice, a key campaign issue in the 2024 presidential race.
Butker also addressed Biden’s response to Covid-19, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“While COVID may have played a role during his formative years, it’s not the only one,” he said.
‘Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted important life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as growing support for degenerate cultural values and media, arise from the omnipresence of disorder.’
A Benedictine College graduate posted her response to Butker’s controversial speech on TikTok, saying it was “fucking horrible.”
Having just received her diploma, Susannah Leisegang said: “Very good… Well, since I have about two hundred of you congratulating me and wondering what the hell I was thinking during the speech, I thought so.” I would respond… uhm, yeah, it was fucking horrible,” she said at first.
Benedictine College graduate Susannah Leisegang gave her account of Harrison Butker’s speech on TikTok on Wednesday, describing the contrast in reaction between men and women.
‘Some of us booed. My roommate and I definitely did. There was a standing ovation from everyone present in the room. Except me, my roommate and about 10 or 15 other women.
‘You also have to keep in mind that this was at a conservative, Catholic university. So a lot of the men were like, “Fuck yeah.” They were excited.
But it was horrible. Most of the women were looking at each other like, “what the fuck is going on?” Did you just get here? Talk about politics and your view on women? That’s all you have for graduation, the commencement speech. Are you kidding?’
On Thursday, former California first lady Maria Shriver, who is also the ex-wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other celebrities criticized Butker for his comments.
The Los Angeles Chargers also trolled the three-time Super Bowl champion following the announcement of their schedule for the 2024 NFL season.
Kansas City’s X count also weighed on the comments of its kicker, as well as the NFL.
A viral petition demanding the Chiefs fire Butker has already gathered 174,000 signatures.
