NFL
Harrison Butker’s recent commencement address at Benedictine College has been criticized by a number of people across the sporting spectrum.
But now, one former Chiefs employee is speaking out.
Stefanie Hills, who said she had been a cheerleader with Kansas City’s NFL team, posted a video on TikTok on Wednesday in response to Butker’s weekend speech, which had discussed topics ranging from President Joe Biden to criticizing the government’s COVID-19 response to working women.
Hills, who in her TikTok bio said she had been an NFL cheerleader from 2018-24, addressed her video directly to the Chiefs kicker.
“First and foremost, until a few months ago, we were employed by the Kansas City Chiefs. I cheered you on for six years straight,” she said to open her TikTok. “And with that, I would assume that we went to the same PR training.
“Biggest takeaway is that you now represent a billion dollar organization, you are now no longer just Harrison Butker, you are now Harrison Butker who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. And anything you say or do that doesn’t align with that brand … will be grounds for termination. Not entirely sure if that last part is gonna apply to you but I guess we’ll find out.”
Hills then dissected some of Butker’s speech, which touched upon the topics of abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia and COVID, the latter of which, the cheerleader claimed, was something that Chiefs employees were told not to discuss publicly.
“You know we had an entire f–king PR training on COVID, bro,” Hills said. “We weren’t supposed to talk about it.”
Hills added that Butker, who implored people to “stay in your lane” during his speech, should “take your own advice.”
“Bruh, take your own advice. Kick some balls around. Stay in your f–king lane,” she added.
Hills, whose video has been viewed 3 million times on the social media platform, is not the first person to call out Butker’s words.
Former “Monday Night Football” sideline reporter Lisa Guerrero was chief among them, slamming Butker’s speech, particularly where he addressed working women.
“What’s up @nflcommish – Does the @NFL share @buttkicker7’s opinion of its female fanbase? (46% of your business and growing.) Wonder what @taylorswift13, her BF & her fans think of this?,” Guerrero wrote this week on X.
The NFL had its own statement Wednesday night, saying the league does not hold the same views as the Super Bowl champion kicker.
“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,” senior vice president Jonathan Beane, the league’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in the statement Wednesday. “The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Whoopi Goldberg, on “The View,” on Thursday, however, defended Butker because he stood by what he believed.
“I like when people say what they need to say. He’s at a Catholic college, he’s a staunch Catholic. These are his beliefs and he’s welcome to them,” Goldberg said on Thursday’s episode of “The View.”
The Chiefs, thus far, have not made a public statement over Butker’s speech.
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Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
