Pro-Life Chiefs Kicker Among Top 50 NFL Merch Sellers
By Movieguide® Contributor
Kansas City Chief’s Harrison Butker’s controversial commencement speech this spring hasn’t hurt the player if the NFL Player Association’s release of their Top 50 players with the highest merch sales is any indication.
“Butker, 29, ranked No. 11 on the NFL Players Association’s player sales list, released Tuesday, September 17, which tracked sales of adult and youth game jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, bobbleheads, pet products and more between March 1 and May 31,” US Weekly reported.
This will be the first time the Chief’s kicker appeared on the list, beating out teammate Travis Kelce who ranked 12 on the list.
The outspoken Catholic drew ire for his commencement speech at Benedictine College, located in Atchison, Kansas, where he spoke out against abortion, birth control and homosexuality.
“I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches, but I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly about who we are and where we all want to go, which is Heaven,” Butker addressed the students.
In his speech he criticized President Joe Biden for publicly professing his Catholic faith “at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally.”
“He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I’m sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice,” he continued.
He praised his wife Isabelle for embracing “one of the highest titles of all” — homemaker, while encouraging the female members of the audience to embrace marriage and motherhood.
“I say all of this to you because I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life,” the father of three stated. “Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, ‘Heck, no.’”
The speech drew backlash from the NFL’s Chief Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane who stated, “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His 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.”
Former Kansas City Commissioner Justice Horn gave a harsher rebuke, likely alluding to the portion of Butker’s speech commending the school’s “pride” in standing in the Catholic tradition, “not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”
“Harrison Butker doesn’t represent Kansas City nor has he ever,” he wrote on X. “Kansas City has always been a place that welcomes, affirms, and embraces our LGBTQ+ community members.”
Even Change.org was able to gain over 260,000 signatures in an attempt to get the three-time Super Bowl winner axed from the team.
Meanwhile, teammate Patrick Mahomes said that while he didn’t stand by everything Butker said in his speech, he stands by his character.
“I judge him by the character he shows every day and that’s a good person,” the quarterback said. “We’re not always going to agree.”
The outspoken Christian quarterback placed second on the NFL’s top 50 list of merch sellers.
Chief’s CEO Clark Hunt’s wife Tavia Hunt also came to Butker’s defense, saying, “Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted.”
Butker is now the NFL’s highest-paid kicker after signing a four-year $25.6 million contract in August.
Movieguide® previously reported on Butker’s response to his speech:
While he received immense backlash for his comments, many defended his position. At the Regina Caeli Academy’s Courage Under Fire gala, Butker said he doesn’t regret standing up for what he believes.
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” Butker said at the gala in Nashville, Tennessee. “Over the past few days, my beliefs — or what people think I believe — have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.”
“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,” he continued.
Butker does not “regret” his decision because his ultimate goal is not to please man but to please God.
“If we have truth and charity, we should trust in the Lord’s providence and let the Holy Ghost do the rest of the work,” Butker explained. “Our love for Jesus and thus our desire to speak out should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world. Glorifying God and not ourselves should always remain our motivation despite any pushback or even support.”
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