Achi news desk-
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce addressed the controversial comments made by Harrison Butker in a commencement speech earlier this month, saying he disagreed with “almost none” of Bakker’s views, but did “cherish” him as a teammate.
Speaking to graduates at Benedictine College, a small Catholic school in Atchison, Kansas, Booker called Pride Month a “deadly sin” and said a woman’s achievements at home are more valuable than any academic or professional goal, among other things.
“I cherish him as a teammate. I think Pat [Mahomes] Said it best where he’s a great person and a great teammate,” Kelsa said on the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast he co-hosts with his brother, Jason.
“He treated the friends and family I introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness, and that’s how he treats everyone. When it comes to his opinions and what he said in the St. Benedict opening speech, those are his.
“I can’t say I agree with most or almost all of it except that he loves his family and his children and I don’t think I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, about how to go about life. That’s just not who I am.”
His comments echoed what Chiefs teammate and three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mahomes told reporters Wednesday.
Mahomes said Buter was a “good person,” although he “didn’t necessarily agree” with his comments.
Jason Kelsa added: “There will always be opinions that everyone shares that you will disagree with.
“And make no mistake about it, many of the things he said in his commencement speech are not things I align with. But, he is giving a commencement speech at a Catholic university, and shockingly, it ended up being a very religious and Catholic speech.
“For me, I can listen to someone speak and give it a lot of value, like when he talks about the importance of family and the importance that a great mother can do, while recognizing that not everyone has to be a housewife if that’s not what they want to do in life.”
Travis Kelce said he is grateful for his “beautiful upbringing” in Cleveland Heights, surrounded by “different social classes, different religions, different races and ethnicities.”
“That’s why I love Cleveland Heights for what it was,” he added.
“It showed me a broad spectrum, just a broad view of a lot of different walks of life. And I appreciated each of these people for different reasons, and I never had to feel like I had to judge them, based on their beliefs.”
