News/Commentary

Harrison Butker’s response to Serena Williams swipe is pure class: ‘Character always wins’

July 13, 2024 | | Print Article

A classy comeback from the Kansas City Chiefs’ Catholic kicker included a compliment and constructive criticism over Serena Williams’ swipe.

Thursday at the ESPY Awards, a cheap shot applause line was met with a mixed reaction from the audience when the tennis superstar doubled with her sister, Venus Williams, in an attempt to belittle Harrison Butker.

However, the serve-and-volley snark may have proven an unforced error as a response from the three-time Super Bowl champion was coupled with a significant show of support, seemingly unheard of for a kicker.

“I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and applaud her for using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” an email response from Butker to NBC Sports read.

The outspoken Christian, who hadn’t backed down after delivering a commencement address at Benedictine College in May that sent leftist heads spinning, went on to add, “Sports are supposed to be the great unifier. And at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes.”

Butker’s statement came in direct response to the Williams sisters’ selective commentary on protecting women’s sports with Venus setting up, “So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports.”

The smash that followed had Serena saying, “Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you,” while actress Quinta Brunson added, “At all. Like, ever.”

Riley Gaines, former NCAA swimmer turned activist, hadn’t held her tongue after the dig and fired one of her own off on X that reminded about the sisters’ silence on a particular male athlete competing against women and added, “But God forbid a devout Catholic share a Catholic message to Catholic students at a Catholic university.”

In the wake of Butker’s Benedictine College address where he’d stood firm on protecting the unborn, praised the vocations of wife and mother, and acknowledged that his own success would not have been possible without his wife, Isabelle embracing “one of the most important titles of all: homemaker,” the player’s jersey became a top-seller for the NFL.

Late Friday, it appeared that the effort to belittle Butker’s message on faith and tradition had fully backfired as reports indicated that sales of his jersey had once again peaked, making him “the first kicker in league history to do this multiple times…”

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Like his statements on Catholicism, the professional athlete’s response to a detractor earned him additional favor on social media as users sounded off on his highlight, not only of free speech, but the responsibilities of those with considerable platforms to avoid fomenting unnecessary divides.

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Kevin Haggerty
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