‘We love each other’ – Harrison Butker thankful that Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs had his back after polarizing words
Harrison Butker began his interview by discussing the ‘grittiness’ that the Chiefs form during old-school training camp workouts. The three-time Super Bowl champion emphasized the same team togetherness when looking back on how his Kansas City teammates handled Butker’s polarizing comments before the 2024 season. GettyHarrison Butker is back in the Super Bowl after a dramatic season[/caption] “You definitely appreciate a guy like Patrick (Mahomes) basically handling it how he did,” Butker exclusively told talkSPORT at a hotel in New Orleans. “I think every athlete makes that decision: Do you want to be vocal on the things that you believe in or not? Every individual makes that decision.” The Chiefs kicker delivered a commencement speech in May at Benedictine College. Butker said that most of the women receiving degrees were likely more excited about getting married and having children, while taking shots at Pride Month. The NFL pushed back against the comments. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” the league said. “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt supported Butker’s right to his opinion, and what could have been a hard divide for the defending champs instead became another temporary flare up. “One of the things I talk to the players every year about at training camp is using their platform to make a difference,” Hunt said. “We have players on both sides of the political spectrum, both sides of whatever controversial issue you want to bring up. “I’m not at all concerned when our players use their platform to make a difference.” GettyBig kicks are no problem for Butker[/caption] GettyHe made international news with his polarizing comments about women[/caption] GettyButker thanked his Chiefs teammates for having his back during the controversy[/caption] Butker echoed Hunt’s words while reflecting on the overall support he received from the Chiefs. “We don’t necessarily always share them, and I decided to share some of my opinions,” Butker said. “What I think maybe some people don’t realize is that in the locker room, guys are sharing all sorts of opinions that don’t make it in public. “When the outside sees a guy sharing opinions that might be controversial, they think, ‘Whoa, this is crazy and going to disrupt the locker room.’ “But they don’t realize that we have a lot of great civil conversations that are crazy — both ends of the spectrum — and we all love each other and fight for a common goal.” The only goal on Sunday for the Chiefs is NFL history. Read More on Super Bowl LIX Follow LIVE build-up to Super Bowl LIX here ‘Global intention’ – NFL commissioner stuns fans with announcement new team based outside of United States ‘I’m out there with him’ – Travis Kelce told brother Jason he will quit NFL if Chiefs coach Andy Reid decides to retire ‘Stupidest thing I’ve done’ – Die-hard Eagles fan Kevin Hart was rejected by security trying to drunkenly storm Super Bowl stage Patrick Mahomes vs Tom Brady after first seven years as a starter reveals there’s only one winner in quarterback debate Who is performing the Super Bowl halftime show and who will be singing the National Anthem? How to follow Super Bowl 2025 – TV channel, live streaming and talkSPORT coverage for NFL showpiece FOLLOW – talkSPORT End Zone YouTube Channel brings you all the latest news, views and analysis OFFER – See all Super Bowl odds and bet boosts over at talkSPORT BET BUY HERE – Brewdog launches new beer to celebrate Super Bowl 2025 Butker has already kicked a last-second, game-winning field goal to hand the Chiefs a world championship. He’s playing in his fifth big game in Super Bowl LIX, and the Chiefs can become the first team to capture three consecutive trophies. “You definitely don’t ever want to take it for granted,” said Butker, who was drafted by Kansas City in the seventh round out of Georgia Tech in 2017. “Every year you think about going to the Super Bowl and it seems like such a long shot, at least for me. “I’m like, ‘OK, I can’t even think about that.’ We just got to focus on training camp, one game at a time. “It seems like every year we find ourselves at this game, you’re like, ‘Wow, this is actually real.’ “We’re playing in another Super Bowl again, so you definitely don’t take it for granted.” To reach the huge Superdome stage, Kansas City had to break itself down again. A team-first culture guided by Reid is set in training camp, when the Chiefs begin in dorm rooms and leave individual egos outside. “Not a lot of teams do that anymore,” Butker said. “I think a lot of the guys, when they come to the team, they’re not super excited about that. “You have somewhat of a roommate as well during training camp. We start of
Harrison Butker began his interview by discussing the ‘grittiness’ that the Chiefs form during old-school training camp workouts.
The three-time Super Bowl champion emphasized the same team togetherness when looking back on how his Kansas City teammates handled Butker’s polarizing comments before the 2024 season.
“You definitely appreciate a guy like Patrick (Mahomes) basically handling it how he did,” Butker exclusively told talkSPORT at a hotel in New Orleans.
“I think every athlete makes that decision: Do you want to be vocal on the things that you believe in or not? Every individual makes that decision.”
The Chiefs kicker delivered a commencement speech in May at Benedictine College.
Butker said that most of the women receiving degrees were likely more excited about getting married and having children, while taking shots at Pride Month.
The NFL pushed back against the comments.
“His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” the league said. “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt supported Butker’s right to his opinion, and what could have been a hard divide for the defending champs instead became another temporary flare up.
“One of the things I talk to the players every year about at training camp is using their platform to make a difference,” Hunt said.
“We have players on both sides of the political spectrum, both sides of whatever controversial issue you want to bring up.
“I’m not at all concerned when our players use their platform to make a difference.”
Butker echoed Hunt’s words while reflecting on the overall support he received from the Chiefs.
“We don’t necessarily always share them, and I decided to share some of my opinions,” Butker said.
“What I think maybe some people don’t realize is that in the locker room, guys are sharing all sorts of opinions that don’t make it in public.
“When the outside sees a guy sharing opinions that might be controversial, they think, ‘Whoa, this is crazy and going to disrupt the locker room.’
“But they don’t realize that we have a lot of great civil conversations that are crazy — both ends of the spectrum — and we all love each other and fight for a common goal.”
The only goal on Sunday for the Chiefs is NFL history.
Read More on Super Bowl LIX
Follow LIVE build-up to Super Bowl LIX here
‘Global intention’ – NFL commissioner stuns fans with announcement new team based outside of United States
‘I’m out there with him’ – Travis Kelce told brother Jason he will quit NFL if Chiefs coach Andy Reid decides to retire
‘Stupidest thing I’ve done’ – Die-hard Eagles fan Kevin Hart was rejected by security trying to drunkenly storm Super Bowl stage
Patrick Mahomes vs Tom Brady after first seven years as a starter reveals there’s only one winner in quarterback debate
Who is performing the Super Bowl halftime show and who will be singing the National Anthem?
How to follow Super Bowl 2025 – TV channel, live streaming and talkSPORT coverage for NFL showpiece
FOLLOW – talkSPORT End Zone YouTube Channel brings you all the latest news, views and analysis
OFFER – See all Super Bowl odds and bet boosts over at talkSPORT BET
BUY HERE – Brewdog launches new beer to celebrate Super Bowl 2025
Butker has already kicked a last-second, game-winning field goal to hand the Chiefs a world championship.
He’s playing in his fifth big game in Super Bowl LIX, and the Chiefs can become the first team to capture three consecutive trophies.
“You definitely don’t ever want to take it for granted,” said Butker, who was drafted by Kansas City in the seventh round out of Georgia Tech in 2017.
“Every year you think about going to the Super Bowl and it seems like such a long shot, at least for me.
“I’m like, ‘OK, I can’t even think about that.’ We just got to focus on training camp, one game at a time.
“It seems like every year we find ourselves at this game, you’re like, ‘Wow, this is actually real.’
“We’re playing in another Super Bowl again, so you definitely don’t take it for granted.”
To reach the huge Superdome stage, Kansas City had to break itself down again.
A team-first culture guided by Reid is set in training camp, when the Chiefs begin in dorm rooms and leave individual egos outside.
“Not a lot of teams do that anymore,” Butker said. “I think a lot of the guys, when they come to the team, they’re not super excited about that.
“You have somewhat of a roommate as well during training camp. We start off the season basically like that in training camp, and then guys talk about how our training camp practices and then our early practices at the start of the year are extremely difficult.
“We start with this level of grittiness that carries us all the way to the Super Bowl. It allows guys to have the fortitude and the strength to push through four quarters of football.
“There’s that humility aspect you see from our leaders, Travis (Kelce) and Patrick. Obviously, they have big personalities, and their names are known throughout the world, but when they’re in the building, they’re just humble, hardworking men.”
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