Fans React to Chiefs Kicker’s Highly Controversial Commencement Speech
NFL fans are lambasting Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker for his controversial commencement speech given at Benedictine College—a small, Catholic liberal arts school in Kansas.
In his address, Butker railed against “abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.” He urged the graduates to “be unapologetic in [their] masculinity,” and encouraged them to “fight against the cultural emasculation of men.”
Turning his attention to the female honorees, Butker told them that their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker” rather than one related to their profession.
“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker opined. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” he added.
Graduating #women should lean in to the vocation of being a homemaker??!!???#smh #realitycheck #harrisonbutker
He then tried to use the lyrics of his teammate Travis Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, to prove his point. “As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,'” Butker said. It’s important to note that Swift did not invent that particular phrase, which has been in use since the 1300s.
Still, the remarks incensed Chiefs fans, many of whom questioned the decision to use a commencement speech to address such divisive political topics. “I’m confused,” wrote @maiabeacon on TikTok. “Did no one like check is speech ahead of time???”
“As a female who wants to work in the NFL this is so frustrating and disheartening,” said @journiehouran.
“Well, he’s convinced me,” user @June said with great sarcasm. “I’ll just drop out of my PhD program to become a homemaker, and forget everything else other than my future kids.”
Of course, social media immediately sank its claws into Butker’s rant; and it didn’t take long before the memes began to fly.
harrison butker every time a woman signs an employment contract pic.twitter.com/kfkpJg2EnV
— chip skylark (@scotty__13) May 15, 2024
Harrison Butker every time a woman learns how to read pic.twitter.com/ubCiD06TJb
— Cara R (@carawithac13) May 15, 2024
Harrison Butker giving his speech pic.twitter.com/lpIpzuqAF5
— HeyYalMary ❤️??? (@hey_yall_mary) May 15, 2024
for no reason what so ever here’s harrison butker eating absolute shit ? pic.twitter.com/G0CcIohPRp
— Linda™ (@Lindellions) May 15, 2024
I’ll let the Swifties handle Harrison Butker ? pic.twitter.com/GjEaTTVGZC
— cooper (@CooperOnAir) May 14, 2024
Though the Chiefs declined to comment on Butker’s speech, some put one of Kelce’s past sound bites to inspired use.
Hey, Harrison Butker… pic.twitter.com/asMbNcMVUt
— ????? (@eltravedor) May 15, 2024
Others lampooned the fact that this was the first time they’d heard of Harrison Butker.
I was perfectly happy not knowing Harrison Butker exists. pic.twitter.com/5PvIPWPTP9
— Mhairi Forrest ??????? (@mhairiforrest) May 14, 2024
Meanwhile, armchair detectives quickly revealed that Butker’s mother was a decorated professional outside the home, in direct opposition to her son’s remarks.
it’s probably worth mentioning that harrison butker’s mom is an accomplished physicist and not a woman who just “stayed at home” pic.twitter.com/84JclGxbfd
— Mason Mennenga (@masonmennenga) May 15, 2024
Neither Butker nor his team have publicly addressed the speech, or its fallout.
