The Kansas City Chiefs are entering the 2024 NFL season looking to be the first team in history to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. Unfortunately, even though most of the talk surrounding the team should be about their unprecedent quest, it is instead focused on controversies surrounding a couple of their players, namely wide receiver Rashee Rice and kicker Harrison Butker.
Rice is the focus of several legal issues stemming from a high-speed car accident earlier this spring. He was allegedly driving 119 miles per hour and left the scene of the accident before police arrived. The Chiefs expect the NFL to hand down a long suspension to the second-year wide receiver, but for now have him participating in organized team activities (OTA’s).
Rice also was involved in an alleged physical altercation at a Dallas night club in which a photographer claimed that the wide receiver assaulted him. However, these chargers were recently dropped.
However, Rice’s offseason was further complicated by a leaked report that he fired a gun into the car of another athlete while he was still a student at SMU. Apparently, the NFL and all its teams knew about this incident before the 2023 NFL Draft.
Kansas City Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Went Viral for His Controversial Commencement Speech
Butker recently have a commencement speech at the graduation ceremony at Benedictine College, a Catholic establishment. During his speech, he made several statements that many found offensive regarding the role of women in society, the LGBTQ+ lifestyle, and Jewish people.
Initially, much of the backlash he received stemmed from the comments regarding women, in which he said:
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.
“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.
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.
“I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but 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.”
These comments drew remarks from a variety of celebrities, who spoke out to denounce his remarks. The nuns who founded the college also released a statement disagreeing with his statements.
Head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes already responded to questions regarding Butker’s speech. Both of them stated, while disagreeing with his statements, that they still value him as a teammate.
Kelce said something similar on his New Heights podcast which he hosts with his brother, Jason. He stated:
“I’ve known him for seven-plus years probably, eight-plus years and I cherish him as a teammate.
“When it comes down to his views and what he said at the [Benedictine College] commencement speech, you know, 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.”
Butker referenced Kelce and his famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift, in his speech, but did not use their names.
While many want the Chiefs to cut Butker over his speech, there obviously is no plan to do so. Firing a person because of their religious or political beliefs would be a violation of their constitutional rights.
It is a shame the NFL did not have the same consideration for Colin Kaepernick.
