Serena Williams, Quinta Brunson and Venus Williams at the ESPY Awards in Hollywood, Calif., last night
The moment happened as Serena Williams, Quinta Brunson and Venus Williams discussed women’s sports.
ESPYs host Serena Williams and Quinta Brunson took a jab at Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during the awards ceremony Thursday night.
The moment happened as Williams and Brunson discussed women’s sports with Venus Williams at the sports awards show.
“So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports,” Venus said.
“Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you,” Serena quipped.
“At all. Like, ever,” Brunson added as the audience laughed.
Butker attended the ESPYs, but the camera did not pan to him to catch his reaction.
In a statement Friday, Butker said, “I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and applaud her for using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics.”
“Sports are supposed to be the great unifier and at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes,” he added.
The NFL kicker received widespread backlash over his commencement speech in May at Benedictine College when he asserted that one of the “most important” roles for a woman is being a homemaker.
“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” he said during his speech.
“But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world,” Butker said.
Criticism quickly followed, with some graduating students saying his remarks were “uncomfortable” and that it was not the “time and place.”
A spokesperson for the NFL told People Magazine that Butker’s “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”
Butker said he has no regrets about the comments he made during his speech.
Williams isn’t first celebrity to blast Butker during a show. Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder took aim at the kicker during the band’s Las Vegas concert in May, saying, “There’s nothing more masculine than a strong man supporting a strong woman.”
