The Kansas City Chiefs, the Super Bowl champions, are in trouble. Kicker Harrison Butker’s prejudiced speech at Benedictine College caused him to become the NFL’s black sheep overnight. While everyone was waiting for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to make a statement, his position had already been made clear in a widely shared interview.
Patrick Mahomes once revealed he wasn’t friends with his controversial Kansas City Chiefs teammate Harrison Butker.
“I don’t talk to Harrison Butker all year,” the quarterback said on the “Pat McAfee Show” following his third Super Bowl win in February. “I just let him do his thing.”
In Mahomes’ interview with McAfee, the quarterback didn’t back down when pushed about even saying “hello” to the kicker.
“We sit right beside each other in team meetings, and I don’t say one word to him. Only before the season and after the season,” Mahomes said.
The NFL has already expressed its opinion regarding Butker, denouncing the anti-LGBTQ and sexist comments he made during his commencement speech. Although Patrick Mahomes hasn’t followed suit, it was clear from the previous interview footage that he had already made his decision regarding Butker. This makes you think that in the locker room, he might have been sharing some of his thoughts.
On Saturday, May 11, the kicker delivered the Benedictine College commencement speech. During his speech, he attacked Pride Month, branding the LGBTQ+ celebration a “deadly sin,” and asserted that the majority of the graduating ladies in attendance were most eager to start a family.
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment,” he said. “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. 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.”
In addition, he attacked President Joe Biden for his management of the COVID-19 outbreak and for being a pro-choice Catholic.
“Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally,” Butker said.
The 28-year-old veteran kicker has been with Kansas City since 2017.
Butker hit a career-high 94.3% of his field goal attempts in 2023 while also going a perfect 11 for 11 in the playoffs to help bring the Chiefs another title, via ESPN.com.