Amid his highly controversial comments at a commencement speech earlier this year, sales of Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker‘s NFL merchandise went up, even besting team star Travis Kelce.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released its list of the top 50 players with the highest sales of official NFL-licensed merchandise between March 1 and May 31 on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and Butker made his first official appearance in the rankings.
Butker, 29, came in at number 11 on the list, with Kelce, 34, following close behind at number 12. The Chiefs star became only the second kicker to make the list, after Evan McPherson in 2022.
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Meanwhile, Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes landed the No. 2 spot on the list, behind just C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans who took the top spot.
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Butker is one of the top kickers in the league, but he made news for a different reason in May after giving the commencement speech this spring at Benedictine College.
The NFL player’s 20-minute address included attacks on working women, the LBGTQ+ community and families who utilize surrogacy and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In a statement addressing his words, the NFL’s Chief Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane told PEOPLE at the time, “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Former Kansas City commissioner Justice Horn went further, slamming Butker in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Harrison Butker doesn’t represent Kansas City nor has he ever,” he wrote. “Kansas City has always been a place that welcomes, affirms, and embraces our LGBTQ+ community members.”
Kelce and Mahomes both addressed Butker’s comments. ‘
Kelce said, “I can’t say I agree with the majority of it or just about any of it outside of just him loving his family and his kids. And I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life, that’s just not who I am.”
Mahomes, meanwhile, said, “I judge him by the character he shows every day and that’s a good person,” adding, “We’re not always going to agree. He said certain things I don’t agree with.”
Butker is now the NFL’s highest-paid kicker.
On Monday, Aug. 5, he agreed to a four-year, $25.6 million contract extension with the Chiefs which includes $17.8 million in guaranteed money, NFL.com and The Athletic reported.
