Patrick Mahomes says he doesn't agree with what Harrison Butker said but calls him 'great person'
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes defended embattled Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker on Wednesday, calling him a "great person" in the wake of divisive comments Butker made at a graduation speech.
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl winner, walked a fine line by sticking up for Butker while also saying he didn't agree with his comments.
“I know Harrison. I’ve known Harrison for seven years, and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day, and that’s a good person," Mahomes told reporters at the Chiefs' training complex in Kansas City, Missouri. "That's someone who cares about the people around him, cares about his family and wants to make a good impact on society."
Mahomes said that an NFL team is filled with people with radically different views and that he's obligated to respect those differences of opinion.
"When you're in the locker room, there's a lot of people from a lot of different areas of life," he said. “There’s certain things that he said I don’t necessarily agree with, but I understand the person that he is, and he’s trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction.
"And that might not be the same values I have," he added. "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.”
Butker has been roundly criticized for his speech this month to graduates of Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas.
He told female grads they've been told "diabolical lies" about the need to advance in their careers when their true value is staying at home to serve their husbands and their children.
"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?" he said. "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."
Butker also used his platform to mock gay pride celebrations, said abortion and IVF treatments are forms of societal "disorder" and lashed out at the "tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion."
Days after the speech, Mahomes hailed the growth of women's sports at a Time magazine event.
"I’d like to raise a glass to a new era in sports, an era when the women’s game is finally getting the attention it deserves,” Mahomes said to applause. "The real reason you should care about women's sports is because they're incredible."
Coach Andy Reid said Wednesday he hasn't spoken to Butker about the speech, but he still went to bat for his kicker.
"We all get along. We all respect each other's opinions," Reid said. “I don't think he was a speaking ill to women, but he has his opinions, and we respect that.”
After Butker’s speech, the NFL's chief diversity and inclusion officer, Jonathan Beane, said that Butker spoke “in his personal capacity” and that “his views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”
The NFL said in a statement, “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Asked Wednesday whether he had anything to add to the statement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league has "over 3,000 players. We have executives around the league. They have a diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does."
"I think that’s something that we treasure, and that’s part of, I think, ultimately what makes us as a society better," Goodell told reporters after the spring league meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
