The White House announced on May 24 that it will host the Super Bowl-winning team, the Kansas City Chiefs, on May 31, despite the controversy surrounding the team’s kicker, Harrison Butker.
Addressing Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, on May 11, Mr. Butker, 28, criticized President Joe Biden’s abortion stance and the stigma behind women being stay-at-home moms.
“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,” Mr. Butker said. “He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”
When asked on May 16 about those remarks, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not directly address the comments, but she said that President Biden is unapologetic regarding the issue of abortion.
When it comes to women, Mr. Butker said that there is nothing wrong with women pursuing a career or being a homemaker like his wife, Isabelle Butker.
Mr. Butker called on the males in the audience to embrace masculinity and not be absent from their households, citing the issue of fatherlessness in the United States.
The Chiefs’ superstar quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and legendary head coach, Andy Reid, defended Mr. Butker on May 22.
Despite “not necessarily agreeing” with his remarks, Mr. Mahomes called Mr. Butker “a great person” having known him for several years.
“That’s someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to make a good impact in society,” he told reporters. “When you’re in a locker room, there’s a lot of people from a lot of different areas in life and they have a lot of different views on everything.
Mr. Reid told reporters that diversity of ideas should be acceptable.
“It’s the great thing about America and we’re just, like I said, a microcosm of that,” he continued.
The Chiefs’ superstar tight end, Travis Kelce, known for his relationship with singer Taylor Swift, said on May 24 that while he did not agree with most of Mr. Butker’s remarks, the kicker treats everyone kindly and respectfully.
“I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that’s just not who I am,” he said on the podcast hosted by his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
