Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker recently saw his NFL gear sales surge, outpacing his star teammate Travis Kelce. Notably, the spike in sales defies the harsh backlash Butker has faced after he delivered conservative, pro-Christian comments at the Benedictine Commencement speech. While conservatives have cheered on Butker, the left has slammed his beliefs.
In a list recently published list by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) showcasing the top 50 players with the highest sales with NFL-licensed merchandise, Butker landed at the 11th spot on the list, beating out teammate Travis Kelce, who came in at number 12. However, neither of the Kansas City Chiefs players was able to beat their teammate, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who sold the second most gear behind Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud.
During his comments at Benedictine College, a Catholic institution, in May, Butker spoke through the lens of his conservative, Christian values, sparking uproar from the left when he gave his take on topics such as gender roles in modern society.
In his speech, Butker said, “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.”
“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,” he added.
The American Tribune further reported on Butker, doubling down on his comments, refusing to cave in the face of criticism. Speaking about the backlash he said, “And I respected all the viewpoints, but in terms of what I said, you know, I prayed about it, and I thought about it, and I was very intentional with what I said, and I stand behind what I said.” The kicker emphasized that his comments came from a place of love. “And I really believe if people knew me as a person and understood that I was coming from a place of love and not a place of trying to attack or put people down, that I only want the best for people, and that’s what I was trying to say there. I think the people that were in that gymnasium all understood what I was saying.”
“I think then it gets construed that I’m trying to put women down, which I’m not at all. I love women. I love my wife, and it comes from a place of love. You know, my wife had never heard me speak publicly, and she was there for that moment, and she was up in the background in one of the offices up there, and I was getting emotional looking at her crying and understanding that she has sacrificed so much for me,” he said.
Watch Butker below:
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