Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Finally Responds to Harrison Butker’s Commencement Speech

Chiefs star Travis Kelce echoed a similar refrain to teammate Pat Mahomes regarding Harrison Butker’s commencement speech defending Christian values: He praised Butker as a teammate and person. But he stressed that he didn’t agree with everything he said.

In a commencement address to graduates at Benedictine College earlier this month, Butker blasted President Biden’s pro-abortion policies, criticized Pride Month, urged men to embrace masculinity, and told women that motherhood would ultimately mean more than their careers.

Kelce addressed Butker’s speech on his New Heights podcast. The discussion about Butker begins at the 24:55 mark.

“I cherish him as a teammate. I think [Chiefs quarterback] Pat [Mahomes] said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate.

“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.”

Chief QB Pat Mahomes addressed Butker’s remarks during OTAs earlier this week.

“There’s certain things that he said that I don’t necessarily agree with, but I understand the person that he is, and he is trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction. And that might not be the same values as I have. But at the same time, I’m going to judge him by the character that he shows every single day. That’s a great person, and we’ll continue to move along and try to help build each other up to make ourselves better every single day.

“But at the end of the day, we’re going to come together as a team, and I think that’ll help out as eliminating those distractions outside of the building, as well.”