The fallout from Harrison Butker’s controversial college commencement speech
is still going strong.
On one side, there are multiple petitions blasting his misogynistic and homophobic comments and calling for the Chiefs to cut the 28-year-old kicker. On the other side, there is defense of Butker’s freedom to express his opinions — including from Tavia Hunt
, wife of team owner Clark Hunt.
Somewhere in the middle, there are calls for the Chiefs franchise to at least distance itself from Butler’s comments, as the NFL already has done in a statement.
DECOURCY: NFL must respond more assertively to Butker’s speech
Yet those expecting the team to take disciplinary action toward Butker, in the form of a release or a suspension, can forget about it. Butker will remain Kansas City’s kicker for one reason: He’s great at his on-field job.
In many professions, when employees take such public missteps, they can be replaced. But this is the NFL, where it’s hard to find a reliable field-goal and extra-point artist.
Everyone knows if Butker struggled to fulfill his role for the Chiefs, they would easily cut him. But Butker, who booted a record-long 57-yard field goal
in Kansas City’s Super Bowl 58 win over the San Francisco 49ers earlier this year, has played an integral…
