Jason Kelce responds to criticism following Harrison Butker’s controversial speech

Jason Kelce has hit back at trolls on social media after being called ‘hypocritical’ for his opinion on Harrison Butker’s controversial commencement speech earlier this month.

The Kansas City Chiefs kicker sparked major controversy when he told graduates at Benedictine College that women should prioritize being ‘homemakers’ instead of pursuing careers, while also taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community, abortion advocates and more in an opinion-dividing speech.

Jason, who has three young daughters with his wife Kylie, defended Butker and said he could ‘take great value in it when he is talking about the importance of family and the importance of a great mother’.

But the recently retired Philadelphia Eagles star also insisted parts of Butker’s speech ‘are not things that I align myself with’.

That has led to criticism from social media trolls, who accused Kelce of being ‘hypocritical’ and suggested his wife Kylie is ‘a homemaker’.

Butker claimed women should prioritize being ‘homemakers’ instead of pursuing careers

Kelce, who will work on ESPN next season, hit back on Monday morning and defended his relationship with his wife.

He posted on X: ‘Responding to this, because I have seen a number of people say it.

‘I don’t think of Kylie as a homemaker, I think of her as my wife. I think of her as a mother. She has an occupation, as do I, and we keep our house the best we can.

‘Our marriage is a partnership, we are equals who are figuring it out on the daily. The only expectation is that we love each other, support one another, and are committed to our family, that comes first. 

‘We both raise our kids, we both work, we both keep our home. It is both our faults it is messy, but such is life with 3 young children, busy schedules, and neither of us being neat freaks. She also makes a mean sandwich.

‘If being a homemaker, works for some, and that’s what they want, then hell yea, that’s awesome, more power to you. 

‘I want to be clear, I’m not downplaying that at all, but that is not our family dynamic.’

Discussing Butker’s speech with his brother Travis on the latest episode of their New Heights podcast, Jason added that the reactions from the people who actually know Butker, such as Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Travis, carried more value than those on the internet. 

The retired Eagles center said that the saga has made him reflect on his own role as a father 

He said: ‘It’s always great to hear from people who really actually know people than a bunch of people reacting to comments without really having met the guy. 

‘I think the teammates reactions, Andy Reid’s reaction – you learn about people on a daily basis. There are always going to be opinions that everybody shares that you are going to disagree with.

‘Make no mistake about it, the things he said in the commencement speech are not things that I align myself with. But he’s giving a commencement speech at a Catholic university and shocker, it ended up being a very religious speech.

‘To me, I can listen to somebody talk and take great value in it when he is talking about the importance of family and the importance of a great mother – while also acknowledging that not everybody has to be a homemaker if that’s not what they want to do in life.

‘When you listen to somebody, you take in what you like and you listen to other things and say I don’t f***ing like that.

‘I’ve had so many people ask me what would you do if your daughters had to sit there and listen to someone tell them after they have just earned a degree that they should just go and align to be homemakers.

‘I would say that if my daughters listen to someone tell them what to do, that they should be homemakers, I failed as a dad.

‘Like what the f**k are you talking about? I don’t care who’s talking to them, if you let somebody up on a stage tell you that you can’t do that, and then you’re like “oh f**k, I guess I won’t go be a CEO”… then you’re not gonna make it!

‘If you don’t like what somebody says, all you gotta do is just say: “That guy’s a f***ing idiot” – and then you move on. I don’t get what the whole fuss is about quite honest.’

Kelce then backtracked by stressing that he does understand the controversy surrounding Butker’s remarks, before making a joke about his wife Kylie when discussing her thoughts on the commencement speech. 

‘I get what the fuss is about, because I know that certain groups have been persecuted against for a long period in this country,’ he continued.

‘And women in particular, obviously my wife… I think she was a little bit frustrated with some of these comments.

‘Initially I said listen, you’re gonna have to go back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich. I’m listening to the game right now.’

The Kelce brothers then burst into laughter before Travis said: ‘We were doing so good! We were killing it!’

Jason then added: ‘I hope she didn’t hear that.’

On Friday night, Butker doubled down on his remarks, comparing himself to Saint Daniel 

On Friday night, Butker doubled down on his remarks, comparing himself to Saint Daniel during another speech at a Regina Caeli Academy event in Nashville, Tennessee. 

He told the event: ‘Over the past few days my beliefs, or what people think I believe, have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe.’

He continued: ‘At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on even those who disagreed with my view points shared their support for my freedom of religion. 

‘As to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most, which is my Catholic faith, the more polarizing I have become.’

The kicker went on to say his decision was one that he did ‘not regret at all’, and said it wasn’t people but Jesus Christ he was trying to please.