Former Chiefs Star Mitch Schwartz’s Wife Slams Harrison Butker’s Graduation Speech: ‘Handmaid’s Tale’
Brooke Schwartz slammed her husband's former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Harrison Butker after his controversial graduation speech went viral.
Brooke – who is the wife of retired Chiefs offensive tackle Mitch Schwartz – addressed Butker's comments about encouraging women to embrace their role as "homemakers" in a series of since-expired Instagram Stories on Wednesday, May 15.
"I'm going to sound controversial since Mitch was teammates with him for many years. I've stayed quiet about a lot of things but this is absolutely so gross and backwards to me," Brooke, 30, began before quoting a line from Butker's commencement address. "'All of my success is made possible … etc … because my wife embraced the most important title of all: homemaker.'"
She continued, "This is what we're telling young women graduating college? That the most important thing they can become is a homemaker??? What in the Handmaid's Tale is this crap?"
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In another Story slide, Brooke doubled down on her comments about the NFL star's remarks, writing, "And telling young women on their college graduation day, after years of hard work, that the thing they probably most look forward to in life is becoming someone's wife. I beg your pardon? I value and respect whatever a woman chooses for her life. But it is NEVER, EVER a man's place to tell women what their roles are."
She added, "I'm sad for his daughter," before wrapping up her thoughts by calling out Butker for quoting outspoken feminist Taylor Swift – who he referred to as his "teammate's girlfriend" – in his speech. (Swift, 34, and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have been dating since last summer.)
"I find it odd he quoted Taylor Swift in his propaganda speech. Is he unaware of her very public views," she wrote over a screenshot of Swift's song, "You Need to Calm Down."
Butker was addressing students at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas on May 11, when he singled out his female audience during his commencement speech, notably claiming that "it is you, the women, how have had the most diabolical lies told to you."
He continued, "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? 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.”
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The Kansas City Chiefs kicker then brought up his wife, Isabelle Butker, claiming that she would be the "first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother."
He added, “I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me but it cannot be overstated that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith and become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all — homemaker."
While Butker received tons of backlash from social media users, celebrities from all walks of the industry were also quick to condemn his speech.
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“Who is [Harrison] to tell us?” Jenna Bush Hager said on the Thursday, May 16, episode of Today With Jenna and Hoda, to which cohost Hoda Kotb added, “Don’t speak for us. I think that’s kind of the thing. Stop speaking for women out there.”
Referencing a specific moment from Butker's commencement address, Flavor Flav added via X, "Sounds like some players ‘need to stay in their lanes’ and shouldn’t be giving commencement speeches."
The NFL also distanced itself from Butker's comments, saying in a statement to People that "his views are not those of the NFL as an organization."
