The Kansas City Chiefs may be the defending Super Bowl Champions, but their offseason has been far from celebratory, at least given what a couple of their players are making headlines for. Wide receiver Rashee Rice, for instance, is dealing with several legal issues following his involvement in a high-speed car crash in which he was reportedly driving 119 miles per hour.
Due to Rice’s recent legal issues, a story about his involvement in a shooting while he was still a student at SMU has come to light. Apparently, the Chiefs (and every other NFL team) knew about the shooting incident before Kansas City took Rice the 2023 NFL Draft.
While Rice’s actions are undeniably wrong, another player’s recent comments have sparked quite the debate. Kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech at Benedictine College regarding the role of women in society has garnered a great deal of criticism from many.
What Did Kansas City Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Say About Women?
Benedictine College, a Catholic school, invited Butker to speak at graduation because he is an outspoken conservative who shares their faith and ideals. Or so they thought.
At one point in his speech, Butker said:
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.
“How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? 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 that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.
“I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
This portion of his speech, as well as those villainizing the LGBTQ+ community and Catholic church leaders, have been heavily criticized by many. Even the nuns who founded and sponsored the college released a statement expressing their disagreement with Butker’s views, particularly on what women are or are not called to be.
Many celebrities have spoken out against Butker as well. Notably, Pearl Jam’s lead singer Eddie Vedder paused a recent concert to tell the audience exactly what he thought about the Chiefs’ kicker.
The Wife and Daughter of Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt Defend Harrison Butker
According to an Instagram post, Tavia Hunt, the wife of Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt, saw nothing wrong with Butker’s comments:
“I’ve always encouraged my daughters to be highly educated and chase their dreams. I want them to know that they can do whatever they want (that honors God). But I also want them to know that I believe finding a spouse who loves and honors you as or before himself and raising a family together is one of the greatest blessings this world has to offer.
“Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman’s hard work in raising children is not in vain. Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children. Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion.”
Gracie Hunt, 25, had the following to say in a recent interview on Fox and Friends:
“I’ve had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up. And I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision. But for me and my life, I know it was really formative and in shaping me and my siblings into who we are.”
To be fair, there is no critic that is saying being a homemaker or stay-at-home mom is a bad thing. The criticism is aimed at the notion that women cannot find as much fulfillment in a career of their choosing.
Many are also reacting negatively to the Hunts’ comments because, as billionaires, it is easy for them to say that staying at home was an easy choice for them.
In any case, there has been a petition circulating among fans for the Chiefs to release Butker. While that would be a violation of his rights and will never happen, the comments from the Hunt family members indicate he has the support of ownership anyway.
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