The Kansas City Chiefs are attempting to pull off an almost impossible feat by winning three Super Bowls in a row.
Heading into a season with so much on the line, the organization would ideally like to avoid as many distractions as possible heading into 2024, but the opposite has been true.
The Chiefs have dominated headlines this offseason —but the storylines haven’t been about football — and there seems to be one controversy after the next with the Super Bowl champs.
For the last two months, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been in the news and his availability in 2024 is a major question mark as of now.
Rice was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft and his rookie season ended with a Super Bowl victory. He was a key part of the effort as he broke the NFL postseason rookie receptions record with 26 catches. However, his football accomplishments are currently being overshadowed by off-field issues. He is facing multiple felony charges due to a multi-vehicle crash that happened in Dallas in March. He is also under investigation for allegedly assaulting a photographer at a nightclub earlier this month.
Right when the Rice stuff started to die down a little bit, Harrison Butker — the Chiefs kicker, who is one of the best players at his position in the NFL — brought more controversy to the organization due to a speech he gave at a Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. During his commencement speech, Butker was accused of making homophobic, sexist and misogynistic remarks.
On top of that, Kansas City offensive linemen Wanya Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick were arrested on Thursday for possession of marijuana
The speech from the Kansas City Chiefs kicker has led to division, with outrage coming from one group of people and praise from another, as his jersey has been the most sold amongst all NFL players over the last week.
Butker’s comments have caused widespread outrage from the public, with many calling for the Chiefs to release the three-time Super Bowl champion. In fact, there’s an online petition with over 200,000 signatures for Kansas City to cut ties with him.
Kelly Stafford Unleashes On Kansas City Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Over ‘Troubling” Remarks
Though it’s been a week since Butker made those comments, the Chiefs still haven’t publicly addressed the matter. Jonathan Beane, the NFL Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, told People that Butker’s “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”
A few of his teammates, most notably All-Pro DL Chris Jones, have taken to social media to defend him.
But one NFL player’s wife took to Instagram with her thoughts on Butker’s speech and didn’t hold back, calling his remarks “troubling.”
Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly, didn’t mention the Kansas City Chiefs kicker by name but it was clear who her post was about.
Women already experience enough imposter syndrome and to have a man use a platform to enforce a woman’s deepest fears is troubling. The fear that we don’t have a choice and we don’t belong.”
Can you honestly tell me that you would agree that IVF/surrogacy is playing God? You know and have felt the joy of having a child … imagine if you physically couldn’t: Would you agree with this? Or would you think IVF/surrogacy is a miracle from God for those who can’t get pregnant/carry a child?”
Stafford followed the story up with a lengthy Instagram Post.
Building men up an not tearing them down is important. Building women up and not tearing them down is important. Everyone has a choice of what they want his/her life to look like.. it’s not up to anyone else or society. The more society tells women where they belong, the more imposter syndrome starts to creep in; that they don’t belong because that’s what society is telling them. I’m happy to thrive at home with being the homemaker, but that’s not every woman’s story nor should it have to be. Some women choose not to stay home and some women don’t have the luxury to choose. We all might not agree on everything, but I think we all want the same end goal, a better world for our kids. I think supporting women and men in whatever roles they choose is a great first step toward that goal.
It’s clear Stafford took a step back after her first initial story aimed at the Kansas City Chiefs kicker and opted for a more unifying message in her post.
