VIDEO: Harrison Butker Breaks His Silence On His Polarizing Comments In His First Public Appearance Since He Shook Up The Nation

Harrison Butker on podiumHarrison Butker (Photo via @realDailyWire/Twitter)
NFL star Harrison Butker has doubled down on recent comments made during a graduation ceremony, which spiked rife debate around the nation.

The Kansas City Chiefs kicker made his first public appearance since said comments on Friday night, speaking at the Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville, Tennessee, in support of a Catholic charity.

Butker remained intransigent with claims that the hate he has received will not cause him to waver from his beliefs or from being “unapologetic” where his faith is concerned.

“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” he said. “Over the past few days, my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.”

“In my seven years in the NFL, I’ve become familiar with positive and negative comments. But the majority of them revolve around my performance on the field. But, as to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most, my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I’ve become. It’s a decision I’ve consciously made, and one I do not regret at all.”

 

Butker previously made a speech during a graduation ceremony at Benedictine College in Kansas earlier this month in which he suggested that women should stay at home to raise their families and allow men to focus on being breadwinners.

The speech garnered nationwide attention and has been addressed by many prominent members of the media.

Harrison Butker HAs Quickly Become A Fan Favorite

The three-time Super Bowl champion has been dragged for his opinion, with a petition to have him released by the Chiefs being drawn up and attracting signatures in the hundreds of thousands. However, he has received plenty of support, including from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

Butker’s jersey sales also spiked in the wake of his speech as fans headed to the NFL Shop in droves, making his No. 7 one of the most-bought around the league,

“As the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion,” he pointed out.

It appears Harrison Butker has no intention of backing down from what he said at the commencement ceremony. The NFL and the Chiefs won’t punish him either.

ESPN’s Sam Ponder Unleashes Shocking Statement In Response To All The Harrison Butker Backlash

Photo of Sam Ponder speaking and photo of Harrison Butker smilingSam Ponder and Harrison Butker (Photo via Getty Images)
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has received support from an unlikely source following his recent controversial comments.

The three-time Super Bowl winner gave a speech at Benedictine College’s commencement ceremony in Kansas earlier this week and has endured rife backlash over his urging women to embrace their roles as homemakers.

He has also received plenty of praise, with several high-profile personalities speaking up in his defense. ESPN host Sam Ponder is among the latter, as she has branded the petition to get him cut from the Chiefs “unamerican.”

“I think the petition that he should be fired from the Chiefs is totally unamerican,” she said via social media. “Is a Catholic espousing traditionally Catholic views to a Catholic audience really that shocking?! Why can’t we just respectfully disagree?!” 

Ponder added that she agreed with several points the kicker made, especially about women being more excited about their families than what they do for a living.

 

“Personally I agreed with a few things he said…especially that most women are more excited/proud of their families than their day jobs,” she continued. “I love my job and have worked my butt off (and slept in my car) to get here but it’s not even comparable to how I feel about being a mom! ESPN will not be with me on my death bed. When did that become offensive?”

Sam Ponder Didn’t Agree With Everything Harrison Butker Said

Ponder also shared her thoughts on the parts she didn’t agree with, more so the one about women needing husbands to feel fulfilled.

“I disagreed with a few things he said too. I do not think my life ‘began’ when I became a wife and mom. I think you can live a totally fulfilled and purposeful life as a single woman in the workplace! Frankly I think I could have had an equally meaningful life if I never got married/became a mother. I’m so proud to be an American where he can share his beliefs openly.”

While the petition to release Harrison Butker is gaining serious traction online, the Chiefs are unlikely to do so, given how good he is at what he does.

They probably wouldn’t cut him on the strength of just that in any case.