Oh boy, hold onto your hats and glasses, —Harrison Butker’s back at it again! The Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker is still kicking up a storm over that graduation speech he gave earlier this year. You remember, the one that made everyone clutch their pearls and gasp in shock? Yeah, that one!
So here’s the scoop: Harrison, a 29-year-old with a foot that could launch a rocket, delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College in May. He decided to tackle a buffet of hot-button issues, from abortion rights to the LGBTQ+ community to working women—like he was assembling the ultimate mix-tape of controversy.
Naturally, the internet exploded faster than a soda can dropped on a hot pavement. Harrison got a tidal wave of “You’ve got to be kidding me” and “How dare you!” comments, which he describes as a “shocking level of hate.” We’re talking about the kind of backlash that makes you want to crawl under a rock and hide, but Harrison’s just sticking to his guns.
Fast forward to August 7th, and Harrison is having a deep and meaningful chat with reporters. He’s got the chill vibes of someone who’s just been told their latest TikTok dance video went viral—except instead of dancing, he’s doubling down on his speech. He’s all like, “Hey, I prayed about it, thought it over, and I’m still standing by what I said. If you knew me, you’d know I’m coming from a place of love, not from trying to ruin everyone’s day.”
When asked about his comments on women and motherhood, he tried to clear things up, saying, “I’ve always said that being a husband and father comes first for me. I thought it’d be cool to extend that to women, suggesting they might find joy in traditional roles. But it seems like people thought I was trying to be a jerk. I’m not! I love women, especially my wife. This is all coming from a place of big, fluffy love.”
And speaking of his wife, Isabelle—she was actually there at the speech, which was like having a live studio audience of one. Harrison got all choked up seeing her tear up, thinking about all the sacrifices she’s made. He’s like, “She’s given up so much for me, turned into the ultimate wife and mother, and she’s super happy about it. She’s my rock!”
He wrapped up his heartfelt spiel by saying Isabelle inspires him to be a better husband and father, even if that means putting his kicking skills on the back burner. “She makes me want to be the best version of myself,” he said, which is adorable and all, but let’s be honest—if his next speech involves a motivational pep talk delivered via field goal, we’re all in for a treat.
#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
