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Harrison Butker was at the center of a controversy after delivering a polarizing commencement speech at a Kansas college in May.
Nearly three months later, the Chiefs kicker is standing by his comments at Benedictine College, which included saying that women in the workforce had the “most diabolic lies told to you.”
Butker, 29, addressed reporters at training camp on Wednesday, two days after he signed a $25.6 million contract to become the highest-paid place kicker in the NFL, talking about the speech that he said Benedictine College asked him to do.
The kicker said he “respected all the viewpoints” of people who spoke out about his speech, which included criticisms of President Joe Biden and his handling of COVID-19 and Butker’s disagreements with abortion, IVF, surrogacy and euthanasia.
“I prayed about it, I thought about it and I was very intentional with what I said,” Butker said of his speech. “I stand by what I said.
“I really believe if people knew me as a person, and understood that it was coming from a place of love, and not a place of trying to attract or put people down,” Butker added. “I only want the best for people, that’s what I was trying to say there. I think the people that were in that gymnasium all understood what I was saying.”
He added that he views himself as a husband and father above being a kicker in the NFL.
Butker, in the ensuing weeks and months after his comments at the college, was criticized by many in the sports world, including former ESPN host Michelle Beadle, Serena Williams at the ESPY Awards and a former Chiefs cheerleader.
#Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker spoke to local media at training camp today for the first time since his viral May commencement speech at Benedictine.His comments in part, specifically to the feedback he’s gotten: pic.twitter.com/9wjQxmShTv— Marleah Campbell (@MarleahKCTV5) August 7, 2024
He did have plenty of others in his corner, including Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt, who praised Butker in the days after the speech went viral.
“I’ve been in the league now seven years and I do have a platform,” Butker added Wednesday. “So with that comes people that want me to state what I believe to be very important.”
“I’m going to continue to say what I believe to be true and love everyone along the way.”
In his view, Butker said the speech has actually led to more conversations in the locker room between players of different views.
The Chiefs, coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, start the regular season on Sept. 5 against the Ravens on “Thursday Night Football.”
Butker’s coming off a career-best season in which he hit 94.3 percent of his field goal attempts.
