On Monday, the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, were hosted at the White House. Harrison Butker, the Chiefs’ star kicker who won the Big Game in February with the game-winning field goal, brought his faith and pro-life advocacy with him to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in DC.
White House Visit
Butker, a devout Catholic, sported a custom-made tie with the words “Vulnerari Praesidio” which translates from Latin to “Protect the most vulnerable.” He also wore a lapel pin, displaying the size of tiny baby feet at just ten weeks gestational age. The pro-life tie was created by Live Action, a nonprofit founded by notable pro-life advocate Lila Rose.
BREAKING:
Chiefs Kicker @buttkicker7 stands for LIFE at the White House!
His Live Action-designed tie reads “PROTECT THE VULNERABLE” in Latin & is paired with a gold pin created with the reference photo and the exact size of a 10-week-old aborted baby’s feet. 🙏🏾
— Live Action (@LiveAction) June 6, 2023
On Tuesday, a joint statement was released from LIVE ACTION and Butker:
As the winner of this year’s Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs were invited to the White House by President Joe Biden. Biden, a baptized and professing Catholic has been outspoken on his support for abortion and the Biden Administration has been the most pro-abortion administration in our nation’s history.
Harrison Butker, who kicked the game winning field goal, used the visit to the White House as an opportunity to highlight the forgotten of our society by partnering with LIVE ACTION in creating a custom tie that he wore with his suit. With the words, “protect the most vulnerable” written in Latin, and a baby feet lapel pin, Butker made a powerful message to the world.
“I want to give the most vulnerable, the unborn, a voice at a place where every effort has been made to allow and normalize the tragic termination of their lives,” said Butker the day after the White House visit.
Butker continued stating, “As a father who has experienced three miscarriages, my wife and I understand the hardships that come with losing a child. Every life is precious and should be valued whether outside or inside the womb.”
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Game Winning Glory to God
While taking his message to the White House is new terrain for the two-time Super Bowl winner, his faith-based advocacy is not new. In February, with the game tied at 35-35, Butker clinched the Vince Lombardi trophy, making the Chiefs NFL Super Champs for the second time in three years. Many social media users immediately noticed that Butker wore a religious adornment known as a scapular that could be seen during the winning kick.
A sweet clip and close up from @NFLFilms of Harrison Butker’s scapular popping out as he kicks the game winner at the Super Bowl.
My exclusive interview with Butker about this moment and more below pic.twitter.com/Jj3axSg1zm
— Joe Bukuras (@JoeBukuras) March 6, 2023
After winning the Big Game for his teammates and Chiefs Kingdom fans worldwide, Butker immediately used his platform to give glory to God. In a postgame interview, Butker said:
I wouldn’t have been able to get through this season if it wasn’t for my faith in God and to be able to trust in Him and know that He’s got a plan. And, you know I’m just thankful that His plan was for that ball to go through and for us to win the game.
@activefaithsports Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker took time to thank God during his post game interview after the Super Bowl, where he kicked the game winning field goal. Time and time again, adversity gives you an opportunity to learn and get better, and that’s exactly what Butker did.
♬ Emotional Piano for the Soul (Inspirational Background Music) – Fearless Motivation Instrumentals
Butker’s Season of Adversity
Some of the adversity Butker leaned on his faith to overcome during the season included a week one injury against the Arizona Cardinals, at State Farm Stadium. Chiefs beloved Head Coach, Andy Reid, blamed loose turf from the recently re-sodded field for the two injuries of Chiefs players in the game. Butker came back into the game after he injured the ankle on his plant foot, and scored a 54-yard field goal, while Justin Reid took over for special teams on other plays. Butker wouldn’t return to play in a game until week six.
In the Super Bowl, which was at State Farm Stadium, Butker missed a field goal. The field that took out Butker’s ankle in the first game of the year was also his challenge in the last game of the year. In the first quarter, Butker missed the kick with a tied game, preventing KC from taking the lead as the Philadelphia Eagles had come out and scored first, leaving KC to pull off a come-from-behind chase. The missed field goal was the first and only opportunity for the Chiefs to take the lead in the first half, and while that’s not great for fans, it’s also disheartening for a player under scrutiny.
The kick is no good, still a tie game.
📺: #SBLVII on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/VzXUvUzSa0— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2023
The internet ran wild talking about his missed kick, but not everyone had watched his career. He’s one of the best kickers in the NFL, without argument.
Butker kicked a 62-yard field goal during the season, reclaiming the franchise record. In what game did Butker break the record? Well, during week six, his first game back on the field since the 54-yarder he kicked in AZ, even though he was already injured.
KC kicker Matthew Wright had a week-long, 58-yard claim to the record from the Monday Night Football game in the week prior to Butker’s return. Before Wright held it, the record belonged to Butker at a one-yard shorter distance.
FIRST GAME BACK. FRANCHISE RECORD. @buttkicker7 pic.twitter.com/xJCmBZYh0h
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 16, 2022
For fans, (this is the part where I tell you I’m a lifelong Chiefs fan) we knew that Butker had a rocky season due to that injury and it showed in some of the stats. The lingering impact of the injury appeared in some losses that we aren’t accustomed to (just kidding, real Chiefs fans are accustomed to losing, remember that 25-year playoff drought?) and kicks that Butker would have previously sailed through without an issue.
Nevertheless, he’s a great player, a trusted kicker, and the franchise record holder. The idea that the missed Super Bowl kick might be the only thing that one-day football viewers remembered him for was disheartening. But God had other plans for Butker.
In honor of the Super Bowl Champions @Chiefs here’s a 1995 fan gear photo of me in Kansas City.
Always and forever #ChiefsKingdom 💛 pic.twitter.com/Y0NoXrPI3Q— BrutalBrittany💕 (@BrutalBrittany2) February 17, 2023
It was Butker who got the Chiefs into the Super Bowl, anyhow, sealing the deal on the AFC Championship title, scoring a field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals with only seconds on the clock. This game-winner was a redemption of sorts for the star kicker, which will emerge as a theme for his 2022-23 season.
The luck of the Irish ☘️ Butker former guest on the show kicks the game winning FG. pic.twitter.com/12BW8oysiw
— The Irish NFL Show (@IreNFL) January 30, 2023
Previously, in week 13, Butker couldn’t pull out the W, missing the game-tying field goal. With that game’s loss along with the prior two matchups, the Chiefs-Bengals fan base rivalry was born. I mean… some jabroni started calling KC’s Arrowhead Stadium, “Burrowhead,” but, thanks to the Chiefs’ kicker the phrase has since retired from the NFL lexicon.
Week 13 for the chiefs brought the bengals. The final loss the chiefs suffered all season. A 27-24 loss once again as the chiefs defense couldn’t get a stop in the final minutes. Kelce fumbled which is what started it all. Butker missed the game tying field goal. 6/10 game. pic.twitter.com/3RrXQf5CEx
— Bills Boy Bills (92 days until kickoff) (@SBrayden09) February 25, 2023
Butker’s Postseason Professing
In a postseason interview Butker reflected on how he calmed his nerves, going into the Super Bowl-winning kick, after previously missing in the “doink” heard ’round the world. Butker said:
One thing that’s helped me throughout my career is taking a deep breath, praying is something I always do on the sideline to remember that yes, football is so important but it’s not the most important thing. I need to calm down. Number one, I’m a child of God. You know, think about my life outside of this world, think about my beautiful wife, my children, and then think about the talent that God has given me. And I have this opportunity on this massive stage to glorify Him.
In the interview, Butker revealed that after winning the Super Bowl, while many players celebrate with a trip to Las Vegas or Disneyland, he instead went to St. Michael’s Abby, in Orange County, California for a week-long retreat. Butker said:
I’m so excited for the offseason to be able to grow in my relationship with my wife and my children. But most importantly, with our Lord. I feel like the offseason is the time where I can break away from football, that I’ve been playing for seven months out of the year, and I can really grow closer to our Lord. Because we can all go party and make all great memories but if that’s not going to Glorify God, if that’s not going to get us closer to Sainthood, then why are we doing it?
Other post-Super Bowl victory activities included delivering a speech to graduates at Georgia Institute of Technology. Last month, Butker told the grads of his alma mater:
In the end— no matter how much money you attain— none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose… I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will have a lasting impact for generations to come: Get married and start a family.
Two-time Catholic Super Bowl Champ @buttkicker7 STUNS graduates with most important, unexpected advice:
"In the end— no matter how much money you attain— none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose… I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will… pic.twitter.com/NiNNKfWal9
— Danny De Urbina (@dannydeurbina) May 6, 2023
Butker, in an interview, said that he uses his platform and his football talents to share a message of faith, saying:
I’m not just making kicks so I can make money and you know I can puff myself up as this great person that people –you know–want to be like one day. I’m making kicks because God wants me to have a platform, at least for right now, to share this message of faith, of growing in virtue, of growing closer to the sacraments and of being a saint. And I’m so passionate about that.
Due to his God-given talents, Butker was able to redeem his season from an injury by winning the Super Bowl on the same field where he hurt his ankle in week one. He vindicated a prior Bengals loss due to a missed kick by drilling the Chiefs right into the Super Bowl; winning the conference championship. And, he recovered from a missed kick in the first quarter of the Super Bowl by scoring in the final moments. But, for Butker, all the glory goes to God. When Butker got to the White House with pro-abortion, professing-Catholic President Joe Biden, he knew exactly why he was there: to continue his journey of faith and pro-life advocacy.
You can watch the above-referenced interview on Butker and his faith, here:
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