Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have declared their support for kicker Harrison Butker after he gave a commencement speech focusing on traditional values.
Discussing his own Catholic faith while giving a speech at Benedictine College, Butker acknowledged the importance of traditional masculinity and feminity.
He described that while women can have careers, having a family will be more rewarding.
His statement sparked widespread backlash.
Reid said during a press conference that he did not believe Butker was “speaking ill to women,” noting that the kicker “has his opinions and we all respect that.”
“I let you guys in this room and you have a lot of opinions that I don’t like, so.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said that Butker is “someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family, and wants to make a good impact in society.”
Last week, NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer said Butker’s views are “not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Butker’s jersey sales have increased significantly as media groups have attempted to condemn him for his commencement speech.