Travis Kelce calls Harrison Butker 'great person,' won't 'judge him by his views'
Travis Kelce has weighed in on his teammate's controversial comments.
Kelce addressed Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's May 11 speech at Benedictine College during Friday's episode of his "New Heights" podcast, which he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce. And the KC tight end seemed to agree with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who spoke out about the commencement address earlier this week.
During Butker's 20-minute speech at the private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, he protested Pride month, transgender people, working women and how President Joe Biden handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat said it best where he is every bit of a great person and a great teammate," Travis Kelce said.
The University of Cincinnati alum added that anyone he has introduced Butker to has been treated with "respect and kindness" from the kicker. Kelce also said he disagrees with Butker's religious views but doesn't believe he should judge his teammate based on his opinions.
"When it comes down to his views and what he said at (the commencement speech), those are his," Kelce added. "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.”
Travis Kelce discussed home life with mom and dad in light of Harrison Butker speech
The tight end explained how growing up in Northern Ohio helped him to appreciate people's differences.
“I grew up in a beautiful upbringing of different social classes, different religions, different races and ethnicities, in Cleveland Heights, and that’s why I love Cleveland Heights for what it was,” he said. "It showed me a broad spectrum, just a broad view of a lot of different walks of life."
The three-time Super Bowl champion also discussed his own family dynamic, stating both his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, worked and contributed to the home.
"Both my mother and my father made home what it was,” Kelce continued. “They were homemakers, and they were providers, and they were unbelievable at being present every single day in my life. That was a beautiful upbringing for me. I don't think everyone should do it the way that my parents did, but I certainly, sure as hell, thank my parents and love my parents for being able to provide and making sure that home was what it was."
Jason Kelce, the former Philadelphia Eagles center and UC alum, echoed his brother, stating there will always be opinions that people will disagree with.
"Make no mistake about it, a lot of the things he said in his commencement speech are not things that I align myself with. But, he’s giving a commencement speech at a Catholic university, and, shocker, it ended up being a very religious and Catholic speech," Jason Kelce said.
The duo ended the conversation by saying in the NFL, you have to be able to put your differences aside and work as a team.
"That's the beauty of team sports. That's the beauty of the NFL," Travis Kelce said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What Travis Kelce said about Harrison Butker's controversial speech
