Chiefs’ Harrison Butker delivers poignant commencement speech at his alma mater

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker returned to his alma mater as a conquering hero on Saturday.

Butker delivered the commencement speech at Georgia Tech, where he played from 2013-16, but he talked more about life off the field than his accomplishments with the Chiefs.

Georgia Tech did show a highlight video of his game-winning kicks in the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LVII before Butker spoke.

Butker noted that six years ago he was sitting on the folding chairs at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

“I am someone not much older than all of you, yet I’ve been asked to speak, not because I am a great orator or because I have a number of impressive accolades, well, I guess I do have two Super Bowl rings,” Butker said as the crowd laughed. “I just happen to be blessed by God to be really good at kicking a funny-shaped ball between two yellow posts. So as someone who is not paid to speak for a living, I’m about to pop off some hard truths.

“I don’t care if you have a successful career. I don’t care if you have a big bank account or you fly private. Many of you in this crowd will achieve these things. Some of you maybe already have, but in the end, no matter how much money you attain, none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose.”

Butker praised the graduates for their intelligence and work ethic. But he added the world is full of people with those traits who are also miserable in their jobs because they feel unfulfilled.

He then offered some advice: find a partner in life.

“It is important to use today as an opportunity to take stock of your mission. Our culture is suffering,” Butker said. “We all see it. It doesn’t matter which political persuasion you sit on, or whether you are a person of deep faith or not. Anyone with eyes can see that something is off.

“Studies have shown one of the many negative effects of the pandemic is that a lot of young adults feel a sense of loneliness, anxiety, and depression despite technology that has connected us more than ever before. It would seem the more connected people are to one another, the more they feel alone. I’m not sure the root of this, but at least I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will have a lasting impact for generations to come. Get married and start a family.”

That drew some cheers and Butker pointed to his wedding ring, saying it was more important than ones he received with the Chiefs.

Butker noted this year’s Super Bowl was the most-watched football game in history, and that he made two clutch postseason kicks earlier this year.

“And yet all of this happiness is temporary,” Butker said. “And the truth is none of these accomplishments mean anything compared to the happiness I have found in my marriage and in starting a family. My confidence as a husband and father, and yes, even as a football player is rooted in my marriage with my wife, as we leave our mark on future generations by the children we bring into the world. How much greater of a legacy can anyone leave than that?

“Sadly, we are encouraged to live our lives for ourselves to move from one thing to another with no long-term commitment. To have loyalty for nothing but ourselves and sacrifice only when it suits our own interests. This loneliness is rooted in the lies being sold about self dependence and prioritizing our career over important relationships.”

Butker also encouraged the graduates to take risks regardless of whether they would be criticized.

Noting the political climate in the United States, Butker lamented how we have dehumanized others.

“There’s a feeling of hopelessness for the future, and we continue to become entrenched in our respective groups. Identity politics have caused us to look at one another through a prism of hate and lack of respect for the human person,” he said. “It seems the days of seeing the value of others may be gone, understanding that all people have innate value bestowed upon them by the Creator.

“Gone are the days when a plurality of thought was accepted and encouraged. Instead, freedom of thought has been replaced by a culture built on cancellations for those who disagree. In order for us to realize the full potential of our abilities, we must take risks at the expense of being silenced. There will always be critics and those that disagree with our viewpoints. However, if we shy away from confrontation, then the only voices left will be the ones with the most power.”

Here is Butker’s full speech.