NFL releases statement on controversial Harrison Butker comments as Kansas City distances itself from Chiefs star

The NFL has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding a recent speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.

The 28-year-old three-time Super Bowl champion recently went viral after his controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College in Kansas.

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The son of Elizabeth Keller Butker, a clinical medical physicist at Emory University School of Medicine, according to his websiteand Harrison Sr., a financial analyst at MDKeller, Butker is an avowed Catholic.

During the graduation, Butker took the opportunity to criticize abortion, Pride Month for its promotion of “dangerous gender ideologies” and President Joe Biden, among other cultural issues.

He also told female graduates to “lean into your calling” as wives and mothers and said men should “fight the cultural emasculation of men.”

Although the Chiefs did not address any of Butker’s controversial comments, the NFL decided to weigh in.

“Harrison Butker gave a speech in a personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” said senior vice president Jonathan Beane.

“The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

Former Kansas City Commissioner Justice Horn also criticized Butker.

“Harrison Butker does not represent Kansas City and never has,” he tweeted.

“Kansas City has always been a place that welcomes, affirms and embraces members of our LGBTQ+ community.”

The LGBTQ advocacy foundation GLAAD also released a statement in response to Butker’s speech.

“Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker’s commencement speech was not only a clear error, it was inaccurate, misinformed and woefully out of touch with Americans on Pride, LGBTQ people and women,” said the president and CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis. stated.

“Those with expansive platforms, especially athletes, must use their voices to elevate and expand understanding and acceptance in the world.

“Instead, Butker’s comments undermine experiences that are not his own and reveal him as someone who goes against his own team’s commitment to the Kansas City community and the NFL’s standards of respect, inclusion and diversity across the board. Turns on.”

In addition to these statements, in a bizarre move, Kansas City’s official X profile, formerly known as Twitter, also appeared to draw attention in a since-deleted tweet.

“Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the town of Lee’s Summit,” the tweet read.

Lee’s Summit is an affluent suburb southwest of Kansas City.

Kansas City has since apologized for the tweet, claiming “was shared by mistake.”

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“Harrison deserves praise for courageously standing up for his principles and convictions.”

A second commented: “The NFL should have stayed out of this, at most maybe said this is a country with free speech.”

In comparison, another responded: “Maybe we should let women decide for themselves instead of telling them how they should feel.”

While a fourth added: “Stay in football! Nobody wants to hear you preach.”

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