Jason Kelce has endorsed Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in his controversial graduation speech, highlighting the importance of family.
Butker sparked widespread controversy earlier this month when she addressed Benedictine College graduates after claiming that women should prioritize being “homemakers” rather than pursuing careers, while also taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community, abortion defenders and more in a speech that divided opinions.
However, while some have criticized the Super Bowl winner, retired Philadelphia Eagles legend Kelce sought a more positive perspective on Butker’s speech, although he admitted that he did not agree with the entirety of the speech.
The former Super Bowl-winning center said Butker shared an important message about family.
“Talk about family,” Kelce said on the latest episode of new heights. ‘I don’t think we have enough people talking about the fundamentals of family and the seriousness of parenthood.
Jason Kelce backed Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker for his controversial speech
‘If you are going to embark on being a father, I think it should be the most important thing in your life. If his children are not the most important thing in his life and that of his wife, in my opinion he is failing.
‘I also don’t think women, for the most part, are the problem here. I think there is a much bigger problem with the other gender in terms of raising children.
‘We’ve played our entire career with people we don’t align with at all. I don’t know, I have played with a partner who he and I have agreed on everything that each of us thinks. And that’s the beauty! They find a way to work together.’
Kelce’s brother, Travis Kelce, Butker’s teammate on the Chiefs, also broke his silence about the saga during the episode. He defended his teammate against the cancel culture backlash, even though he almost completely disagreed.
Jason, who has three young daughters with his wife Kylie, added that the reactions of people who actually know Butker, like Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Travis, were worth more than those on the Internet.
“It’s always great to hear from people who actually know other people, rather than a bunch of people reacting to comments without actually knowing the guy,” he said.
“I think teammates’ reactions, Andy Reid’s reaction: you learn about people every day. There will always be opinions that everyone shares that you won’t agree with.
‘Make no mistake about it, the things he said in the commencement speech are not things I align with. But he was giving a commencement speech at a Catholic university and, surprisingly, it ended up being a very religious speech.
Butker said women should prioritize being “housewives” rather than pursuing careers.
Travis Kelce also talked about his teammate Butker’s recent graduation speech.
Kelce spoke on his New Heights podcast, which he recorded in Europe while traveling with his girlfriend Taylor Swift on their Eras Tour.
The retired Águilas center said the saga has made him reflect on his own role as a father
“For me, I can listen to someone talk and value a lot when they talk about the importance of family and the importance of a great mother, while also recognizing that not everyone has to be a stay-at-home mom if that’s not what they want. wants”. do in life.
“When you listen to someone, you take what you like, you listen to other things and you say, I don’t like it like that.”
‘Many people have asked me what they would do if their daughters had to sit there and listen to someone tell them, after they have earned a degree, that they should go and line up to be a housewife.
“I would say that if my daughters listen to someone tell them what to do, that they should be stay-at-home moms, I’ve failed as a parent,” Jason said.
‘What the fuck are you talking about? I don’t care who’s talking to them, if you let someone on stage tell you that you can’t do that, and then you say “oh shit, I guess I’m not going to be a CEO”…then you’re not going to make it!
“If you don’t like what someone says, all you have to do is say, ‘That guy’s an idiot,’ and then you move on. I honestly don’t understand what all the fuss is about.
Kelce then backtracked and emphasized that he understands the controversy surrounding Butker’s comments, before making a joke about his wife Kylie when discussing his thoughts on the commencement speech.
“I understand what all the fuss is about, because I know that certain groups have been persecuted for a long period of time in this country,” he continued.
Butker photographed with his wife Isabelle and young son after a Chiefs game
Butker said his wife has no regrets about her career because of her role as the mother of their family.
‘And women in particular, obviously my wife… I think she was a little frustrated with some of these comments.
‘At first I said, listen, you’re going to have to go back to the kitchen and make me a sandwich. “I’m listening to the game right now.”
The Kelce brothers laughed before Travis said, ‘We were doing great! We were killing him!’
Jason then added, “I hope she didn’t hear that.”