Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker praises Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid for their support after his controversial commencement speech READ MORE: Harrison Butker slammed by founders of Catholic college R EAD MORE: Travis Kelce breaks silence on Harrison Butker's speech READ MORE: Harrison Butker makes solo appearance at the ESPYs By Alex Raskin Published: 15:15 EDT, 7 August 2024 | Updated: 15:23 EDT, 7 August 2024 e-mail View comments Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has no regrets over questioning women in the workplace with his controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College – a message he insists was never intended as an attack. 'I love women, I love my wife, and it comes from a place of love,' Butker told reporters on Wednesday. The 29-year-old three-time Super Bowl winner received a standing ovation at the Catholic college in Kansas, and nationwide backlash, after telling women in the audience they should be more 'excited' to become wives and mothers rather than successful professionals.
Referring to his wife Isabelle in the crowd, Butker claimed she would be 'the first to say that her life truly started' when she married him and began raising their three children. Addressing Chiefs reporters at training camp on Wednesday, Butker praised his teammates for their understanding, while reaffirming his decision to make the speech. He was particularly happy to have the support of head coach Andy Reid , quarterback Patrick Mahomes , and tight end Travis Kelce .
'I felt very encouraged to hear that,' Butker said. 'For [Reid, Mahomes and Kelce] to be able to publicly say, 'you know, Harrison made all these public statements that maybe people don't agree with, but I've seen Harrison for seven years be someone who is of good character,' I think that meant a lot to me for them to say that.' Butker at May commencement speech: 'I would venture to guess that the majority of you [women] are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world' Reid (pictured), Mahomes and Kelce all defended Butker without endorsing his message Travis Kelce (right) echoed Patrick Mahomes (left) in offering his support to Harrison Butker Reid, Mahomes and Kelce all defended Butker without necessarily endorsing his message to students.
'I've known him for even plus years,' Kelce said during a May podcast. 'I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat [Mahomes] said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate.
' Reid, meanwhile, said the team respects Butker's opinion, adding that he did not believe the kicker was attacking women. Chiefs players had a lot to say about his speech as well, not all of which was negative. Actually, Butker explained, his speech helped to start a number of locker-room discussions on the topic.
'This team is so close, ever since that speech, there have been tons of conversations in the locker rooms of guys just connecting and trying to understand each other,' Butker said. 'I think it's been a beautiful thing to see and I think that's what so special about sports and so special about football. 'There's not many sports where you have 50 to 100 guys with a bunch of different beliefs and we're all fighting together to win.
So you have a bunch of different personalities, a bunch of different backgrounds.' Butker begins the season as the NFL's highest-paid kicker after signing a $25m deal with KC The speech was very personal for Butker, who admitted to seeing his wife become emotional as he addressed the crowd. '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,' he said.
'She has completely changed her life around and she has made sure she has focused on being the ultimate wife and ultimate mother and I love her so much for that. And I see how happy and excited she is day to day.' As for the speech itself, Butker has no regrets, although he admits he surprised himself by stepping out of his comfort zone.
'I'm definitely an introverted person,' he said Wednesday. 'I try to protect my privacy as much as possible.' Read More Eddie Vedder calls Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker a 'f***ing p***y' during Pearl Jam concert in Las Vegas as for his controversial comments But when Benedictine College saw that Butker had delivered a commencement speech at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, the converted soccer player decided 'to pray about' it.
Eventually Butker became convinced that the speech was the right idea. 'I'm going to prepare over months for this speech and I'm going to stand behind what it is I'm saying,' he said of his thought process. 'I kind of look at the offseason as a little five-month period where I can kind of just represent me as Harrison Butker as a faithful Catholic.
And obviously when it gets to the season, I try to focus as much as I can on football and not being a distraction for the Chiefs.' There has been considerable backlash, which included a few jokes at his expense during ESPN's annual ESPY Awards broadcast. But while he usually shies away from fan opinions of his on-field performance, Butker couldn't help but sift through some comments about his speech.
'I've appreciated all the feedback,' he said. 'When it comes to football, I don't really look at the comments, good or bad, towards me. But with it being the off-season and stating a lot of these things, I was really curious as to what people would be saying back to me.
And I respected all the viewpoints.' Butker maintained that his May comments came 'from a place of love' throughout his exchange with reporters on Wednesday. 'I only want the best for people,' he said.
'That's what I was trying to say there. I think the people that were in that gymnasium understood what I was trying to say.' Butker begins the season as the NFL's highest-paid kicker after signing a four-year, $25.
6 million deal to stay in Kansas City. Andy Reid Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs Share or comment on this article: Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker praises Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid for their support after his controversial commencement speech e-mail Add comment.
