Chiefs' Harrison Butker on controversial commencement speech: 'I don't feel the need to apologize'
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is looking back at his controversial Benedictine College commencement speech with no regrets.
In May, Butker made headlines for his remarks to the Catholic liberal arts college's graduating class. During the speech, he criticized Pride Month, IVF and the 'most diabolical lies' the women graduates have been told, adding that he guessed a majority of the female students were 'most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.'
Almost a year later, Butker is addressing his divisive words again as he and his teammates prepare to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl.
Days before the game, Butker and other players arrived in New Orleans — where the Super Bowl will take place at Caesars Superdome — for a media event. As he took questions from different reporters, the 29-year-old spoke about the backlash he has received for his stances over the past year.
'It was a surprise because I'd been saying similar things to that for many years now and it's funny what stuff gets picked up,' Butker said, according to the Associated Press. 'I said what I said. I believe in it. I don't feel the need to apologize for anything.'
He added, 'I feel like God's prepared me for that moment to feel confident in who I am and what's most important in my life and I'm able to handle whatever comes my way.'
The AP also reported that one journalist asked Butker, 'What do you think about gays?'
He replied, 'I understand that this is a great evening and we're here to focus on the game. Maybe if I saw him without a camera, we'd have a great conversation.'
Following his viral speech, fellow athletes like Serena Williams, a group of nuns associated with Benedictine College, the Los Angeles Chargers and multiple others weighed in to mock and reject Butker's remarks. Speaking about the extra attention he received, he said, 'There's been a lot that's gone on and I never expected to be this known, I guess, as a kicker.'
Butker had previously reacted to the backlash in August, prior to the start of the season.
'I've been in the league now seven years and I do have a platform,' Butker said while speaking to reporters at a Chiefs training camp. 'So with that comes people that want me to state what I believe to be very important.'
He didn't waver on the messages he shared in his speech. 'I'm going to stand behind what it is I'm saying. I kind of look at the offseason as a little bit of a maybe five-month period where I can just represent me as Harrison Butker, as a faithful Catholic,' he said. 'And then 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.'
Teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce also responded to Butker's speech last year.
Mahomes said, 'I know Harrison. I've known him for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day and that's a good person. That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to make a good impact in society.'
He added that he didn't 'necessarily agree' with Butker's views.
On a May episode of his 'New Heights' podcast, Kelce said, 'I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate. He's treated family and family that I've introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness. And that's how he treats everyone. When it comes down to his views and what he said at Saint Benedict's commencement speech, those are his. I can't say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids. And I don't think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that's just not who I am.'
Meanwhile, the NFL gave a statement clarifying that Butker's opinions did not reflect the league's beliefs.
'His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,' Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement.
Beane also noted that Butker 'gave a speech in his personal capacity.'
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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