The NFL’s Biggest Political Lightning Rod is Also the Highest-Paid at His Position

The Kansas City Chiefs have spoken loudly about how important Harrison Butker is to their team, and they’re expressing their gratitude with a contract extension that makes the three-time Super Bowl champion the highest-paid kicker in NFL history.

On Monday, the 29-year-old Butker and the two-time defending Super Bowl champs reportedly agreed to a four-year, $25.6 million deal that will keep Butker in Kansas City through the 2028 season. Butker gets a guaranteed $17.75 million.

Butker took to social media to show his appreciation to the Chiefs, who signed him in September 2017 after he was released by the Carolina Panthers. That year, the Panthers drafted Butker in the seventh round.

“There’s no place I’d rather be than with the Chiefs,” he posted on X.

Butker also reportedly represented himself in contract extension negotiations. Speaking freely on what he believes should not come as a surprise.

While contract details were hammered out in private, Butker found himself in the media spotlight last May after sharing his societal and political views in a commencement speech at Benedictine College in Kansas City.

Butker, who has been vocal about his Catholic beliefs in the past, denounced Pride Month and President Joe Biden’s abortion stance, and he addressed the women in the graduating class directly, saying, “I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.”

“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,” Butker added. “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 distanced itself from Butker’s comments, stating that his views “are not those of the NFL as an organization,” and it reaffirmed its “commitment to inclusion.” In the ensuing days, Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid were asked by reporters about what they thought of Butker’s speech.

Mahomes defended his teammate but also said he didn’t “necessarily agree with” Butker’s speech. Kelce said he couldn’t “agree with the majority of it, or just about any of it” but added he wouldn’t “judge him by his views, especially his religious views.”

A new chapter to the Butker speech saga emerged at Morgan Wallen’s concert at Arrowhead Stadium over the weekend, when the country music star donned a Chiefs jersey with No. 7, Butker’s number, on the back. Video emerged of Wallen strolling to the stage with Kansas City’s legendary trio of Mahomes, Kelce and Chris Jones behind him.

Apparently, Wallen’s No. 7 Chiefs jersey wasn’t in support of Butker. Wallen wore a custom jersey with his name on the back, and he has worn No. 7 jerseys of local teams at other concerts in the past.