24 May 2024 , 11:38
1502
0
Patrick Mahomes has stood by his Kansas City Chiefs teammate Harrison Butker amid a storm of criticism following the kicker's controversial comments on women's roles.
Butker sparked outrage with a speech at Benedictine College, where he suggested female graduates should prioritize being wives and mothers over careers, igniting a debate about his religious views. A petition calling for Butker's removal from the Chiefs has garnered 220,000 signatures, yet Mahomes has defended him, saying after practice, "I know Harrison," and "I've known Harrison for seven years."
Mahomes continued: "I judge him by the character that he shows every single day and he's a good person. There's certain things that he said I don't necessarily agree with but I understand the person that he is. He's trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction."
READ MORE: Patrick Mahomes' brutal Harrison Butker comments come back to haunt him amid Chiefs pressure
READ MORE: Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones backs teammate Harrison Butker after controversial speech
He added: "Might not be the same values I have but at the same time, I'm going to judge him by the character that he shows every single day, and that's a great person."
New England Patriots warned Mac Jones is "limited" as quarterback fined again
NFL chief Roger Goodell also weighed in, declining to condemn Butker and highlighting the league's diversity of opinions. In light of the backlash, Goodell stated, "We have over 3,000 players. We have executives around the league. They have a diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does. That's something we treasure."
Since being drafted alongside Mahomes, Butker has become a legend at the Chiefs. The team has been on an upward trajectory, bagging three Super Bowl rings and now eyeing a historic fourth for a three-peat next season. On Wednesday, Mahomes demonstrated his camaraderie with Butker, while head coach Andy Reid expressed his exasperation with the media. Despite his own religious beliefs, Reid emphasized inclusivity within the team.
Harrison Butker has come under scrutiny for his comments (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)"Everybody is from different areas, different religions, different races, and so we all get along, we all respect each other's opinions," Coach Reid remarked.
"It's a great thing about America, man. And we're just, like I said, a microcosm of that, and my wish is that everybody could kind of follow that," he continued. "I don't think he was speaking ill to women, 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."
Butker's NFL achievements are impressive. He holds the record for most field goals made by a rookie (38) and has a record nine field goals in Super Bowls. His 57-yard kick in Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers set a new benchmark, surpassing Niners rookie Jake Moody, who had earlier set the record in the same game.