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.”
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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.