During Thursday night’s ESPYS, Serena and Venus Williams took part in a segment to celebrate women’s sports. The goal was to give fans “tips on how to properly enjoy them,” and they brought up actress Quinta Brunson to help.
In the process, Serena Williams mentioned Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. She called him out after Venus encouraged viewers to enjoy women’s sports.
“So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports,” Venus Williams said. “Because they are sports.”
“Except you, Harrison Butker,” Serena Williams said. “We don’t need you.”
“At all,” Brunson added. “Like, ever.”
Butker raised eyebrows in May when he gave a commencement speech at Benedictine College. In his remarks, he expressed his belief that the main role in society for women is as homemakers and condemning the LGBTQ+ community. He also discussed “dangerous gender ideologies,” among other comments that took aim at abortion, President Joe Biden’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other hot-button topics.
“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 said, viaCNN. “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.
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
The NFL addressed his comments shortly afterward. Chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane made it clear Butker’s speech reflected his views and not those of the league.
“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Beane said in a statement. “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.”
Commissioner Roger Goodell also discussed Butker’s remarks during the NFL Spring Meetings in Nashville. He said the league values its “diversity of opinions.”
“We have over 3,000 players. We have executives around the league. They have diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does. That’s something we treasure,” Goodell said, viaTom Pelissero ofNFL Network.
Andrew Graham contributed.