Former ESPN broadcaster Trey Wingo faced backlash on Monday after making a controversial remark about Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, following news of Butker’s record-setting contract extension.
Butker and the Chiefs reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth $25.6 million, the highest ever for a kicker in NFL history.
The contract includes $17.75 million in guaranteed money. Butker has been instrumental in helping the Chiefs secure three Super Bowl championships since the 2020 season.
Despite his on-field success, Butker’s offseason has been mired in controversy due to a faith-based commencement speech he delivered at Benedictine College. In his speech, Butker encouraged women to embrace the title of “homemaker” and criticized President Biden. He also condemned abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, and what he described as “degenerate cultural values” propagated by the media.
Wingo took to social media to comment on Butker’s contract extension, using the opportunity to reference the kicker’s contentious speech. “The Harrison Butker extension… making him the highest-paid kicker… underscores the inherent truth of the NFL: the better you are at the job, the more a team is willing to put up with, pure and simple,” Wingo wrote on X.
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NFL fans quickly criticized Wingo for his “willing to put up with” remark, pointing out that Butker has not been involved in any criminal activities.
Instead, he simply delivered a speech that received both praise and criticism.
Butker’s performance on the field has been stellar throughout his seven-year career. He has successfully completed 89.1% of his field goal attempts and 94.5% of his extra-point attempts. This past season was his best, as he went 38-for-38 on PATs and 33-for-35 on field goal attempts, achieving a career-high 94.3% accuracy.
In Super Bowl LVIII, Butker was crucial, making all four of his field goal attempts, including two game-tying kicks in the fourth quarter. One of those kicks sent the game into overtime with just three seconds left on the clock.
Butker’s new contract reflects his value to the Chiefs, both in terms of his skill and his ability to perform under pressure. Despite the controversy surrounding his speech, his professional accomplishments continue to speak for themselves.
