NBC Sports Boston anchor Trenni Casey blasted Harrison Butker over his controversial Benedictine College commencement speech, calling his words “dehumanizing” and “hateful.”
The reporter, 47, called out the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, 28, in a nearly 4-minute segment Thursday.
“Harrison Butker isn’t nearly the talent or the star Colin Kaepernick once was, but he should be treated the same: blacklisted, and this time it would actually be justified,” she began.
Casey clarified that she “strongly” believes in free speech and the “right to hold opinions that are different from [her] own,” but noted, “I also believe there are consequences for speaking out.”
“There is a big difference between opinion and dehumanizing hateful speech,” she added.
Casey said Butker is “entitled to think differently” and said he is “allowed to align his views with the Catholic church on sensitive topics,” adding, “Those are his opinions.”
However, the sports anchor said she believes the pro athlete did not just voice his own point of view.
“Instead, the 28-year-old Chiefs kicker spent 20 minutes espousing the greatest hits of bigotry, antisemitism, misogyny, homophobia [and] anti-diversity,” she said.
As evidence of her stance, Casey pointed out how Butker criticized Congress’ passing of a bill that condemns the belief that Jesus was killed by Jews as antisemitic.
“The trope he’s pushing? It’s the same one Nazis used during the Holocaust, arguing that the murders of 6 million Jews was punishment for the murder of Jesus by their ancestors,” the commentator said.
“It should be noted that the Catholic Church has already denounced this narrative back in 1964, yet on Saturday, Butker was pushing the lie.”
Casey also slammed Butker for comparing Pride Month to a “deadly sin” and “making sure everyone knows that women are nothing more than vessels for children and wives to husbands.”
“I am so tired of people telling us at the center of these dehumanizing rants that we need to respect everyone’s opinion,” she said. “No. We don’t, and we don’t have to tolerate it, either.
“You are not allowed to go out of your way and belittle, degrade and depict groups that don’t look like you as subhuman. That’s not an opinion. That is hate. Plain and simple.”
Casey concluded by pointing out how Butker at one point during his speech referred to Taylor Swift as his teammate’s “girlfriend” because that’s “all she is in his mind.”
The anchor then said, “He chose to quote a song called ‘Bejeweled,’ but it feels inappropriate for Butker who more closely aligns with a newer song she wrote, ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.'”
Several people on social media have praised Casey for her remarks, with one person writing on TikTok, “She came, then conquered, and she didn’t leave a damn crumb 👏🏻💯😍.”
Another added, “THIS is what deserves a standing ovation.”
Butker’s rep did not immediately return ’s request for comment on Casey’s segment.
The NBC sports anchor, however, is one of many people who have condemned Butker’s speech.
Maria Shriver called the NFL player’s words “demeaning” and “Today” co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager agreed he should not be speaking for women.
The NFL also said in response that Butker’s views do not align with those of the football organization.
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However, others have backed the father of two, particularly for his American right to express his beliefs.
Whoopi Goldberg recently said on “The View,” “We wanna give respect to people whose ideas are different from ours.”
Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt also said she “respects” Butker’s Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.
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