Harrison Butker's Controversial Commencement Speech Sparks Backlash from Media

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's recent commencement speech at a Catholic liberal arts school has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many media outlets condemning his faith-based remarks. Despite the backlash, Butker's jersey sales have skyrocketed among Chiefs fans.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's jersey sales have soared to new heights since his controversial commencement address at a private Catholic liberal arts school in Kansas. However, members of the media have been decidedly less enthusiastic about his merchandise.

As of Friday, Butker's jersey was the most popular among Chiefs players, even surpassing the likes of superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. This surge in popularity comes after Butker's speech last weekend at Benedictine College, where he made a series of headline-generating remarks about women, the LGBTQ community, and President Biden.

HuffPost opinion editor Stephen A. Crockett roundly criticized Butker's speech, declaring that "his foot was firmly in his mouth." Crockett accused Butker of being "afraid of losing" and suggested that he was motivated by a perceived threat to white men.

Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins mocked Butker for being a kicker and accused him of "symptomati[c] inflationary alarm[ism]." She objected to Butker's characterization of Biden as "delusional," Pride Month as a "deadly sin," and diversity as "tyranny."

"Today with Hoda & Jenna" co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager expressed their outrage over Butker's comments directed at female graduates, in which he encouraged them to embrace their "vocation" as "homemakers." Kotb declared that she was "in a bad mood" after hearing the speech, while Hager questioned why a kicker was speaking for women in the first place.

The Nation published a vitriolic piece titled "Harrison Butker Is a Jerk, a Bigot, and a True Representative of the NFL," which referred to him as a "bigoted j-----s."

On ABC News' "The View," panelists took turns criticizing Butker, though co-host Whoopi Goldberg defended his right to express his beliefs. "Listen, I like when people say what they need to say... We want to give respect to people whose ideas are different from ours," Goldberg said.

However, Joy Behar quipped that Butker had "mother issues" and should "get a therapist," while Sara Haines described his views as stemming from an "extremist" and "cult-like" version of Catholicism.

Alyssa Farah Griffin mocked Butker's points about his wife being a homemaker, saying, "If you get to marry an NFL kicker who wins the Super Bowl, you, too, might get to be a homemaker in this economy."

Sunny Hostin took issue with Butker's remarks about LGBTQ people, arguing that Pope Francis has made significant strides in supporting the LGBTQ community.

NFL Network host Rich Eisen called Butker's remarks "outrageous" and said his wife is both a terrific mother and a professional.

Former NFL sideline reporter Lisa Guerrero wrote on Twitter, "Hey @NFL- If you want to continue to grow your female fan base and any other marginalized group (straight white men are already watching your product), come get your boy."

Despite the media backlash, Butker has received overwhelming support from Chiefs fans. His jersey sales have skyrocketed, and many have praised him for speaking out about his beliefs.

The controversy surrounding Butker's speech highlights the deep divisions in society over issues of faith, gender, and sexuality. It remains to be seen whether the negative publicity will ultimately affect Butker's career or the NFL's reputation.