Travis Kelce weighs in on Harrison Butker commencement speech
Jan. 29, 2023: Patrick Mahomes raises the Lamar Hunt Trophy while Travis Kelce celebrates after the Kansas City Chiefs' 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he doesn't agree with the "majority" of Harrison Butker's recent controversial comments but noted that he will not judge his teammate for it.
Butker caused a stir during his 20-minute commencement address on May 11 at Benedictine College, which is a Catholic school in Atchison, Kan. He addressed the female graduates in attendance and spoke against the "diabolical lies" society places on women who emphasize their careers over motherhood.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said on Wednesday that he did not "necessarily agree with" Butker's comments but noted he was going to "judge him by the character he shows every single day."
Kelce had a similar take on the matter while speaking Friday on his "New Heights" podcast.
"He's treated friends and family that I've introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness," Kelce said of Butker. "And that's how he treats everyone. When it comes down to his views and what he said (in his) 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 did not address the part of Butker's speech in which the kicker quoted a Taylor Swift lyric.
Butker said, "As my teammate's girlfriend says, 'familiarity breeds contempt'" -- which references Swift's song "Bejeweled."
--Field Level Media
Related
March Madness Sunday Bets: Texas Tech, Tennessee
Venezuela’s WBC Win Exposed What Team USA Must Fix
UFC London Betting Picks: Best Plays for Fight Night
Duke Survives Upset Scare, Now Set to Roll Past TCU
Akron vs Texas Tech, Clemson vs Iowa: Best Bets for Friday
- Best March Madness Saturday Picks: Arkansas vs. High Point, Vanderbilt ML
- Akron vs Texas Tech, Clemson vs Iowa: Best Bets for Friday
- NCAA Tournament Thursday Picks: Why Georgia and Saint Mary’s Offer Value
- NBA Picks Today: Best Bets for Warriors vs Celtics, Lakers vs Rockets
- Miami (OH) vs SMU Prediction: Best Bet for NCAA Play-In Game
- MLB Home Run Leader Future Picks: Best Bets for 2026 Season
- Top NBA Picks for Today: Thunder vs Magic, Cavs vs Bucks, Nuggets vs 76ers

