Kansas City Chiefs’ placekicker Harrison Butker speaks to college graduates in his commencement address at Benedictine College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (photo: Credit: Benedictine College / Benedictine College)
The dig just ahead of the Summer Olympics further highlights the Super Bowl champ’s countercultural witness.
The ESPY award winners usually receive the headlines, but this year, the main headline revolved around someone who walked away trophy-less: Harrison Butker.
The moment occurred last week, when former tennis star Serena Williams, the host; Quinta Brunson, actress and comedian known for Abbott Elementary, and the other Williams tennis-playing sister, Venus, took the stage together to speak about the importance and relevance of women’s sports. In their message, they applauded the excitement around female sports and said that viewers should appreciate it, not as “women’s” sports but simply “sports.”
Venus Williams implored viewers: “So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports.”
Then Serena Williams interjected and said, “Except you, Harrison Butker; we don’t need you.”
After a mixture of applause and boos, Brunson added: “At all. Like, ever.”
Butker was present at the awards ceremony, but the cameras did show him when he was referenced on stage.
The Catholic Super Bowl champion responded the following day.
“I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and applaud her for using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” he said in a statement to NBC News. “Sports,” he continued, “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.”
The trio clearly took issue with Butker’s viral speech at Benedictine College this past May. The three women on stage seemed to imply that their love of women’s sports is something that Butker must hate since he stated in his graduation address that his wife embraced “one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
For the Williams sisters and actress Brunson, this language — and other points debated online, inside and outside of Catholic circles — is grounds for being “canceled.” However, it does not have to be. Butker was simply giving voice to the love he has for his wife, who inspires him “to be able to be the man I am,” as he put it.
Somehow, his words are being misconstrued as sexist because he desired to champion the gift of his wife, who desires to be the primary educator and caregiver to her children, while also being willing to ensure faith and family remain the center of their household. His aim was not to demean women who work, but to lift up his wife for all that she does to devote her life to their marriage and their children.
Ironically, in his speech, he referenced the effects of speaking the truth:
“Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves. … We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority.”
When we cling to Christ and desire to become like him, people will attack us. That is what they did to Jesus 2,000 years ago, and it continues today. The fact that Butker’s viral speech is still eliciting hatred is further proof that this is true. While Butker is a famous personality who has the opportunity to speak publicly, we can learn from his example. We can learn from his words as well.
The Catholic faith is not aligned with the culture. The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can pray for the strength to build it back up, no matter the cost. This will occur by speaking up for the truth, by proclaiming Jesus Christ. It all begins with deepening our relationship with him and being willing to speak of our friendship with him as the most important thing.
When we do so, however, we risk the solid chance that others will be annoyed by us. As Butker noted in another speech in Nashville, Tennessee, a few weeks after his commencement address, “The more I’ve talked about what I value most, which is my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I have become.’
While the vast majority of us will never have our name smeared on stage in front of millions of people, we will all be asked for an account at the end of our lives on how we built up the kingdom of God. This will mostly entail not our career or our fascination with sports, but with loving God and loving our family. So, let us pray for an increase in our love for Jesus Christ, and let us be more convinced that preaching his name and message is the remedy our culture needs.
