Harrison Butker in uniform. Pearl Jam singer at concert.
Harrison Butker and Pearl Jam (Photo via AdamZagoria/Twitter)

Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, delivered a contentious speech at Benedictine College that is still being criticized.Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam, made a powerful statement regarding Butker’s graduation address to a packed

house at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday.“While I have your attention,” Vedder starts, “Can we please raise our voices, clap our hands, and show our appreciation for the first group to be on the stage tonight, Deep Sea Diver?“That’s some

good men and good women making up a great band. The singer, Jessica, and the keyboard player, Patti, they must not have believed that ‘diabolical lie’ that women should take pride in taking a back seat to their man.”“I get that could be for some people, and there should be pride in homemaking whether you’re a man or a woman. It’s definitely one of the hardest jobs, and you should definitely take pride in it,” he said. “But you shouldn’t not follow a dream because you think that you’re going to benefit by giving up your dreams? I couldn’t understand the logic. So I’m questioning it in public right now.”

“The irony was that this football player … was telling men, don’t forget to puff up your chest and be more masculine. Don’t lose your masculinity,” Vedder said. “The irony is that when he was saying that, he looked like such a pu–y.”

“There’s nothing more masculine than a strong man supporting a strong woman,” he then said to cheers from the crowd.

“People of quality do not fear equality,” he added.

The NFL has already distanced itself from the three-time Super Bowl champion’s comments. “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, told People. “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

Butker attacked COVID-19 lockdowns, Pride Month, abortion rights, and “the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion” in his address. Men should “fight against the cultural emasculation of men,” he added.

Additionally, he advised the female graduates to be “most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world” and that being a “homemaker” would be the “most important” career they could have.

Butker has faced some blowback for his speech, but he has not come out and apologized for anything he has said, which leads you to believe that he truly meant it and that the backlash does not bother him in the least bit.

White House Press Secretary Questioned On Whether Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Will Be Banned From White House Over Speech

Harrison Butker (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked whether Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will still be welcomed to the White House despite his recent remarks regarding President Joe Biden.He

questioned Biden’s Catholic faith and chastised him for his support of abortion during the speech. In addition, he denounced “dangerous gender ideologies” and warned female graduates that most of them would be more eager to have children than pursue prosperous careers.One reporter wondered if Butker would still be welcome.

VIDEO: NFL Network’s Kimmi Chex Delivered Powerful Message To Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Before Signing Off Of “Total Access” Forever

Kimmi Chex looking on at NFL Network (left). Harrison Butker reacts to kick (right).

Kimmi Chex (left) and Harrison Butker (right). (Photos via @awfulannouncing Twitter and Harry How/Getty Images)NFL Network host Kimmi Chex delivered a powerful message to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison on the final episode of “Total Access” before the crew signed off the beloved NFL Network program.Last Saturday, Harrison Butker made headlines when he made homophobic, antisemitic, sexist and misogynistic comments during his commencement speech to graduating students at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.

At one point during the speech, Butker suggested to the graduating female students that they become “homemakers.” His comments caused plenty of public outrage, and there’s an online petition with over 200,000 signatures for the Chiefs to release him.

Before “Total Access” signed off for the final time, Chex shared a powerful and inspiring message for women with Mike Yam, Michael Robinson and David Carr by her side:

“My presence on this show comes on the shoulder of the women and the hosts who came before me…I’m lucky enough to continue on here with the NFL Network and hope to give more of my voice to the league I love, while also being a wife and soon-to-be mother of two kids. Don’t ever, ever put women in a box because our potential is limitless and we can do it all.”

 

“Total Access” aired on NFL Network for 21 years, beginning in 2003. Earlier this month, the network announced that it was canceling the show, with the final episode airing on Friday.

Harrison Butker has not addressed the public backlash, and the Kansas City Chiefs have been quiet on the matter. Jonathan Beane, the NFL Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, told People in a statement that Butker’s “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

Though he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers back in 2017, Butker has spent his entire career with the Chiefs. The soon-to-be 29-year-old made 94.3 percent of field goal attempts last season, a career-best, and he didn’t miss a single extra point.

Butker has won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs. He has a career field goal percentage of 89.1 and 94.5 success rate on extra points.

Harrison Butker’s Job Appears Safe With Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs may be facing plenty of calls to release Butker following his controversial comments, but it doesn’t look like they plan to do anything about the matter.

It’s been more than a week since he made those comments. If they didn’t even wish to put out a statement on the matter, it’s hard to envision them outright releasing him at this point.