Travis Kelce is the latest member of the Kansas City Chiefs organization and the NFL world to offer their stance on the controversial comments Harrison Butker made during a recent college commencement speech.
The star tight end offered a defense of Butker’s character, but didn’t endorse comments the kicker made during his speech that focused in part on women in the workforce.
“I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat [Mahomes] said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate,” Kelce said on his podcast, “New Heights.” “He’s treated family 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 Saint Benedict’s commencement speech, those are his. I can’t say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids. And I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that’s just not who I am.”
Kelce mentioned his upbringing, noting that both his mother and father provided for their family, calling it a “beautiful upbringing for me.”
In his speech, Butker also mentioned Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, at one point. He quoted a line from Swift’s song, “Bejeweled,” saying “Familiarity breeds contempt.”
Kelce didn’t address that portion of Butker’s speech when discussing it on his podcast, mostly keeping the focus on the comments he made about women in the workforce. Bukter’s address also included controversial comments about Pride month.
Earlier in the week, Mahomes offered comments about Butker that were similar to Kelce’s.
“I’ve known Harrison for seven years. I judge him by the character he shows every single day,” Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday. “We’re not always going to agree, and there are certain things he said that I don’t necessarily agree with. But I know the person he is, and he’s doing what he can to lead people in the right direction.”
Mahomes added that he doesn’t think Butker’s comments will lead to any divisiveness within the team.
“There are certain values that some people emphasize more than others. There are certain things I don’t necessarily agree with,” Mahomes said. “I know what kind of person he is. I’m going to look at that first.”
LZ Granderson reacts to Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech
Chiefs coach Andy Reid also said he didn’t feel like he needed to discuss Butker’s comments personally with the kicker when the team gathered for organized team activities earlier in the week.
“We’re a microcosm of life here,” Reid told reporters. “We’re from some different areas. Different religions. Different races. But we get along. We all respect each others’ opinions, and not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everyone to have a voice.”
NFL senior vice president and chief and diversity inclusion officer Jonathan Beane told People Magazine that Butker’s views “are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also addressed Butker’s comments when asked about them at the NFL’s spring meetings earlier in the week.
“We have over 3,000 players,” Goodell said. “We have executives around the league that have a diversity of opinions and thoughts, just like America does. I think that is something that we treasure, and that’s part of, I think, ultimately what makes us as a society better.”
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