Harrison Butker's Faith-based Commencement Speech Triggers The Far-left

[Update]  Harrison Butker Doubles Down Following Far-left Outrage Over His Faith-based Commencement Speech

Following days of far-left outrage at Harrison Butker over his commencement speech. The Kansas City Chiefs kicker, speaking Friday night at Regina Caeli Academy's Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville, Tennessee, said he has no regrets about expressing his beliefs, and noted that he has received support as well as "a shocking level of hate" from others.

"It is now, over the past few days, my beliefs or what people think I believe have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe," Butker, 28, said Friday. "At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion."

The kicker, a three-time Super Bowl winner, said he understands being criticized for his performance on the field. He said he values his religion more than football. "It's a decision I've consciously made and one I do not regret at all," he said.

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[Update]  Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, NFL's Roger Goodell, Latest To Defend Harrison Butker Over Viral Commencement Speech

NFL Commission Roger Goodell and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have become the latest to defend Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker over his viral faith-based commencement speech at Benedictine College.

Speaking at the league meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, Wednesday, Goodell said (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media), “We have over 3,000 players. We have executives around the league. They have diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does. That’s something we treasure.”

Addressing the kicker's comments on a recent episode of his 'New Heights' podcast, Kelce defends Butker but says he doesn't necessarily agree with his opinions.

"I've known him for seven-plus years probably, eight-plus years," Kelce said. "And I cherish him as a teammate. I think (Patrick Mahomes) said it best: He is every bit ... a great person and a great teammate. He's treated friends and family that I've introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness, and that's how he treats everyone. When it comes down to his views and what he said at the .... commencement speech, those are his. I can't say that I agree with the majority of it, or just about any of it outside of him loving his family and his kids, (but) I don't think I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life ... I grew up in a beautiful upbringing of different social classes, different religions, different races and ethnicities. ... Both my mother and my father made home what it was. So they were homemakers and they were providers."

Kelce's brother, Jason, had similar sentiments on the podcast.

"I (appreciated) teammates' reactions with the Chiefs, Andy Reid's reactions," Kelce said. "You learn more about who people are with who they are on a daily basis. ... A lot of the things he said are not things I align myself with, but he's giving a commencement speech at a Catholic university and -- shocker -- it ended up being a very religious and Catholic speech."

Those sentiments were also echoed by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs' two most notable spokespeople, who defended Butker Wednesday, at Kansas City's OTA session.

"I know Harrison," Mahomes told reporters. "I've known him for seven years. And I judge him by the character that he shows every single day, and that's a good person. That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family, and wants to make a good impact in society. When you're in the locker room, there's a lot of people from a lot of different areas of life, and they have a lot of different views on everything. And we're not always gonna agree."

He continued: "And there's certain things that he said that I don't necessarily agree with. But I understand the person that he is, and he's trying to do whatever he can to try to lead people in the right direction. And that might not be the same values as I have, but at the same time, I'm gonna judge him by the values that he shows every day, and that's a great person. ... I know what kind of person he is, and I'm gonna make sure I look at that first."

Reid piggybacked Mahomes' stance, standing by the three-time Super Bowl champion kicker.

"I talk to Harrison all the time," Reid said. "I didn't talk to him about this. I didn't think I needed to. We're a microcosm of life here. We're from different areas, different religions, different races. We all get along. We all respect each other's opinions. And not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everybody to have a voice. That's a great thing about America, man. We're just a microcosm of that, and I wish -- my wish is that everybody could kinda follow that."

Asked how he might respond to women working for the Chiefs who took umbrage to Butker's comments, Reid dismissed the question, telling reporters that has not happened.

"I don't think he was speaking ill to women," Reid added. "But he 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."

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Kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, Harrison Butker, 28, has came under attack for his recent commencement address at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school based 60 miles outside of Kansas City.

During Butker’s 20-minute speech he urged female graduates to embrace their "vocation" as a "homemaker."

"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment," the NFL player said in part. "You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly, because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. 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, 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."

He continued: "I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on this stage today and able to be the man that I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker."

Butker also urged the audience to fight against the cultural emasculation; and to be "unapologetic in your masculinity" and role as protectors of women and society.

The NFL star also referenced 'Pride Month' in his speech, calling it a "deadly sin sort of pride that has a month dedicated to it," and specifically pointed to President Biden’s "delusional" stance on abortion.

The Super Bowl champion received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees following the speech.

Family of Kansas City Chiefs' owner Clarke Hunt family appears to back the speech with his wife writing Tavia Hunt writing on Instagram, "Affirming motherhood and praising your wife is not bigoted;" and his daughter Gracie telling Fox News, " I have the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up."

Conservatives online praised Butker's speech with many posting their careers and accomplishments as women while acknowledging that their role as mothers have been the most fulfilling. "Harrison Butker tipped over all the sacred cows - abortion, IVF/surrogacy, anti-motherhood, anti-masculinity, etc - and instead promoted the enemies of our cultural rot: fatherhood, marriage, courage, purity, sacrifice, respecting the dignity of life," Allie Beth Stuckey conservative commentator and mother wrote on X. "That’s why people are screeching. They don’t like their idols threatened, and they have a profound disdain for goodness and truth."

"Never more proud to call Harrison Butker my friend," Senator Josh Hawley(R-Missouri) wrote on X.

Butker's team jersey sold out becoming the top seller on the NFL store.