Kansas City appears divided on how to respond to Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's controversial commencement speech.
On Thursday, May 16, the Missouri city uploaded — but later deleted — a tweet disowning Butker as one of their own after the NFL athlete told a crowd full of female college graduates they should focus on embracing the role of a "homemaker" instead of striving for success in their respective careers.
"Just a reminder that Harrison Butker lives in the City of Lee's Summit," the government-verified account wrote in a since-removed post.
Kansas City later backtracked their remarks, declaring in a follow-up message: "We apologies for our previous tweet. It was shared in error."
The Kansas City Chiefs football team has yet to address Butker's questionable words — despite receiving countless complaints from upset fans — however, the NFL did release a statement condemning the 28-year-old's faith-based comments.
"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," the NFL's senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane wrote in a statement obtained by a news publication. "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."
Butker sent social media users into a furious frenzy after a video of his speech went viral online.
"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you," Butker stated to graduates at Benedictine College.
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His speech continued: "How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."
Butker then claimed his wife, Isabelle — whom he tied the knot with in 2018 — would be the "first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother."
The Super Bowl-winner said he's able to be "the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation."
"I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith and become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all — homemaker," he controversially concluded.