Harrison Butker has issued a statement in response to the dig Serena Williams made towards him at the 2024 ESPYs.
“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, 28, said on Friday, July 11, via NBC News.
“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 from supporting fellow athletes.”
The response comes after Serena, 42, alongside her sister, Venus Williams, and actress Quinta Brunson, made pointed remarks about Butker during the ESPYS ceremony on July 11.
Addressing women’s sports, Venus, 44, stated, “So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports.” Serena then added, “Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you,” with Brunson, 34, chiming in, “At all. Like, ever,” to the audience’s laughter.
Though Butker attended the event, his reaction was not captured on camera.
The comments from Serena and Brunson came in response to Butker’s commencement speech at Benedictine College in May. In his address, Butker suggested that while some women might pursue successful careers, “the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
“I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” the football player said at the time. “How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?”
He added, “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.”
He emphasized that his wife, Isabelle Butker, would say her life truly began when she embraced her roles as a wife and mother, calling being a “homemaker” one of the most important titles.
The speech sparked significant backlash, drawing responses from celebrities such as Maren Morris, Robert Griffin III,Whoopi Goldberg, Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.
Reflecting on the controversy at the Regina Caeli Academy Courage Under Fire Gala later that month, Butker commented on the intense scrutiny of his religious beliefs.
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now,” he claimed.
Despite the mixed reactions, Butker hopes to “embolden” other Catholics to be brave and speak out.
“In the end, being courageous starts with the small things. Being disliked and mischaracterized by some is nothing compared to finding yourself in a lion’s den,” he said.
