NBC Sports Boston anchor Trenni Casey sharply criticized Harrison Butker for his remarks during a commencement speech at Benedictine College, labeling them “dehumanizing” and “hateful.”
In a nearly four-minute segment on Thursday, the 47-year-old journalist addressed the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, who is 28, saying, “Harrison Butker isn’t nearly the talent or the star Colin Kaepernick once was, but he should be treated the same: blacklisted, and this time it would actually be justified.”
Casey emphasized her strong belief in free speech and the right to hold differing opinions but underscored that there are consequences for certain expressions. “There is a big difference between opinion and dehumanizing hateful speech,” she added.
While recognizing Butker’s right to align his views with those of the Catholic Church on sensitive topics, Casey argued that the athlete’s speech transcended merely sharing personal views.
“Instead, the Chiefs kicker spent 20 minutes promoting what can only be described as a mix of bigotry, antisemitism, misogyny, homophobia, and anti-diversity,” she stated.
Casey highlighted Butker’s criticism of legislation condemning the belief that Jews were responsible for Jesus’ death as antisemitic, comparing it to narratives used by Nazis during the Holocaust. She noted that the Catholic Church had denounced this view as far back as 1964.
The anchor also criticized Butker for derogatory comments about Pride Month and his views on women’s societal roles, saying, “I am so tired of people telling us at the center of these dehumanizing rants that we need to respect everyone’s opinion. No. We don’t, and we don’t have to tolerate it, either.”
Casey concluded her segment by critiquing Butker’s dismissive reference to Taylor Swift as merely a “girlfriend,” suggesting a narrow and reductive view of women. She pointed out the irony of Butker quoting Swift’s song “Bejeweled” while his actions align more with the themes of another song titled “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.”
Casey’s remarks have drawn significant support on social media, with many praising her for her forthright stance.
Harrison Butker’s representative has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. Other prominent figures, including Maria Shriver and the “Today” show co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, have also condemned Butker’s speech, aligning with the NFL’s statement that his views do not reflect those of the organization.
