Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, known for openly discussing his Christian faith, became briefly silent when asked on Monday night, “What do you think about gays?” during the Super Bowl opening-night media event at the Superdome.
“I understand that this is a great evening and we’re here to focus on the game,” Butker replied. “Maybe if I saw him without a camera, we’d have a great conversation.”
This has been an eventful year for the 29-year-old Butker, who joined the Chiefs in 2017 and has been part of seven straight AFC championship games and five Super Bowls. He’s aiming for his third consecutive ring and fourth overall.
The year kicked off with an intense Super Bowl last February when the Chiefs faced the 49ers. Butker helped keep Kansas City in the game with three field goals, including a 57-yarder in the third quarter, before a 29-yard kick at the end of regulation sent it to overtime. Kansas City won 25-22.
In the offseason, Butker made headlines for reasons off the field.
“There’s been a lot that’s gone on and I never expected to be this known, I guess, as a kicker,” Butker shared.
Last May, Butker was asked to give a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Some of his comments caused controversy. He suggested that many women graduating were likely more excited about marriage and having children than working, and criticized some Catholic leaders for pushing “dangerous gender ideologies” on youth.
He also spoke out against Pride Month and President Joe Biden’s abortion stance, which led the NFL to issue a statement distancing itself from Butker’s views, saying, “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
During the summer, Butker launched a political action committee aimed at encouraging Christians to vote for what it called “traditional values.” The PAC’s website was still active ahead of the Super Bowl, though it didn’t explain how donations were being spent. Butker also campaigned for Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley before the general election.
Despite the attention, Butker admitted he was caught off guard by the public reaction.
“It was a surprise because I’d been saying similar things to that for many years now and it’s funny what stuff gets picked up,” Butker explained. “I said what I said. I believe in it. I don’t feel the need to apologize for anything. I feel like God’s prepared me for that moment to feel confident in who I am and what’s most important in my life and I’m able to handle whatever comes my way.”
The season itself has had ups and downs for Butker.
He kicked a 51-yard field goal as time expired in a 26-25 win over the Bengals in Week 2, followed by three field goals that helped secure a win at Atlanta. Butker also kicked the go-ahead field goal in a 16-14 win over the Broncos in mid-November, keeping the Chiefs in position for the No. 1 AFC seed.
However, after that game, Butker had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his non-kicking knee. The injury affected his kicking form, causing his left knee to bend almost like a lunge when hitting the ball. This may have contributed to a couple of missed extra points and field goals when he returned in December.
He’s been back to form in the playoffs, making three field goals in a divisional-round win over Houston, and hitting a go-ahead 35-yard field goal with 3:33 left in the AFC Championship to help Kansas City win 32-29 over Buffalo.
“It’s a positive to know that you can go out there and make kicks when it matters,” Butker said. “But every game is different.”
Butker has become used to Super Bowls.
“I’ve gotten a lot better at handling the nerves leading up to the game,” Butker said. “I’ve been here before. I understand once the game starts it’s just like any other game. I also feel like I can pace myself a little bit so I’m not playing the game (in my head) before it’s actually played.
“Thankfully, I’ve played in many of these games and I have those memories to go back on,” he added. “But obviously you understand the magnitude of what this game is.”
