The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl this weekend thanks in part to Harrison Butker, who kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the Chiefs ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in the last moments of the game. Butker is known as a strongly pro-life, devout Catholic.
Last year, as Kansas prepared to vote on a pro-life amendment that ultimately failed — the “Value Them Both Amendment” — Butker appeared in a Catholic Vote commercial in support of the amendment. The amendment would have stated that the Kansas constitution does not secure a “right to abortion” or require government (taxpayer) funding of abortion. Instead, opponents deceptively (and successfully) painted the amendment as a ban on abortion.
“This amendment will let Kansas decide what we do on abortion,” said Butker in the ad.
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In an op-ed for the Kansas Catholic Tribune, Butker wrote, “When the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the meaning of life in the Kansas Constitution refers only to those outside the womb, they left those without a voice to be targeted by terrible legislation and outside forces. The only way to defend the unborn, protecting the Sanctity of Life, is to amend the Kansas Constitution.”
He said the amendment would have made Kansas “a place where all children are valued at every stage of life.”
In an interview with Catholic News Agency, Butker expressed his gratitude to God for giving him the opportunity to speak out.
Super Bowl CHAMP Harrison Butker scores BIG for pro-life movement— Drops Ad that PUNTS abortion libs into panicked FORFEIT ?
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 18, 2022
“I think God has definitely given me a platform. He’s given me a voice for a lot of people that aren’t able to voice their opinions,” he said. “I put so much into being the best kicker I can possibly be and for whatever reason, God has allowed me to continue to be successful as a kicker. I’m so thankful for that. My success in football has given me a pedestal and I feel a responsibility to raise awareness to different issues that I think God wants me to bring to the forefront.”
Butker is also working to encourage men to take a stand for life.
“Now is the time for you to take up your task, as men of the church to fight this battle for our nation, to bring Christ back to our daily lives,” the football star said in a September 2020 commencement speech at the Knights of Columbus College Councils Conference. “Men need to play active roles within our church… Your priests need to hear from you. They need to see you. Other men need to see you.”
