Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, attended the 32nd annual ESPY Awards on July 11.
The Chiefs were nominated for the “Best Team” award, but lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team. Serena Williams, her sister Venus Williams, and “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson all called out Butker during the live awards event.
The cameras did not pan to see Butker’s reaction to the joke, but the 28-year-old released a statement the next day. “I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and applaud her for using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” Butker said NBC News in an interview.
“Sports are supposed to be the great unifier and at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes.”
During the ESPYs, the Williams sisters and Brunson praised the WNBA’s growing popularity before addressing Butker. “So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports,” Venus told us.
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