Jason Whitlock has come to the defense of Harrison Butker following criticism over the Kansas City Chiefs awarding their kicker a new $25 million deal.
On Monday, Butker and the Chiefs agreed to a four-year contract extension that makes him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL. The deal, which includes $17.75 million guaranteed, followed Butker’s recent headline-making commencement speech at Benedictine College in Kansas.
In his controversial speech, Butker urged men to “fight against cultural emasculation” and claimed women are destined to be “homemakers.”
He also shared conservative views on abortion and vaccines, prompting backlash among NFL fans. Critics accused the Chiefs of tolerating Butker’s views solely because of his talent as a kicker.
Whitlock, a conservative podcast host, responded to the criticism. He addressed a tweet suggesting that the NFL rewards players regardless of their behavior off the field, calling this “the inherent truth of the NFL.”
Defending Butker, Whitlock described him as a “celebrator of traditional marriage” and contrasted him with former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill, who recently signed a $90 million restructured contract with the Miami Dolphins, has faced his own controversies. Whitlock labeled Hill a “baby-mama factory,” questioning which team—Dolphins or Chiefs—was “putting up” with more. He concluded, “You can’t make this stuff up. People are really this lost.”
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Butker, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has become increasingly vocal about his personal beliefs. Last year, he wore a tie with a pro-life Latin phrase to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration at the White House, directly opposing President Joe Biden’s pro-choice policies.
Announcing the deal on X, Butker expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “There’s no place I’d rather be than with the Chiefs, excited to finalize a 4-year extension. To the Heights!” Notably, the 29-year-old kicker negotiated the deal on his own without agents or lawyers.
Butker’s performance on the field has been exceptional. He set a Super Bowl record for the longest field goal during the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, with a 57-yard field goal.
This surpassed the previous record set earlier in the game by 49ers rookie Jake Moody.
Drafted out of Georgia Tech by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Butker has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Chiefs.
In 107 career games, he has connected on 89.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and 94.5 percent of his point-after tries. He has kicked field goals of 53 yards or longer in all seven seasons, with a 62-yarder in 2022.
Despite the criticism surrounding his personal views, Butker’s talent and consistency on the field have solidified his position as one of the NFL’s top kickers.
