Thousands Of People Sign Two Petitions To Kick Harrison Butker Off Kansas City Chiefs

Of course, the woke mob is coming for Harrison Butker now. Of course, it's trying to have him canceled by getting him fired.

It's part of the playbook. It's not surprising.

The problem here is the mob is about to run headlong into a meritocracy. The NFL struggles to cancel anybody – at least not on the first try – because NFL teams in business to win usually keep the best people around regardless of their failings.

Or perceived failings, in this case.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Harrison Butker looks up at the crowds during the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII Victory Parade on Feb 14, 2024. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)

Petition Collects Signatures

Butker is now in the crosshairs of multiple petitions at change.org that -- get this -- call "upon the Kansas City Chiefs management to dismiss Harrison Butker immediately for his inappropriate conduct."

There isn't just one petition but two that are calling for Butker, the Chiefs' kicker, to get the, boot. The more prolific of those two petitions set its initial goal of 35,000 signatures. It has more than 94,538 as of Thursday morning.

The petition has, here we go, moved the goal post to now collecting 50,000 signatures.

A Chiefs' spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

And what was that "inappropriate conduct" Butker engaged in?

Butker gave the commencement address at Benedictine College on Saturday and spoke his mind. 

He encouraged female graduates to embrace becoming mothers, wives and homemakers. He told men they "set the tone of the culture."

He rebuked President Biden for supporting abortion while claiming to be Catholic, which played well with the audience in the Catholic liberal arts school.

LAS VEGAS - Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs kicks a field goal during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Butker Stirs Emotions And Anger

Butker made an obvious reference to the gay community when he spoke about pride.

"Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it," Butker said, "but true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify Him."

In short, Butker picked a side.

A devout Catholic, he went against abortion, was obviously for a traditional family structure, against pride month, and took a swipe at the media as well.

And that has riled the other side.

There are members of the liberal sports media calling Butker an idiot or idiotic on social media. This despite the fact Butker has a degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech.

And, of course, the petition takes it much further.

Harrison Butker demands better male role models. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

Petition Claims Threat To Society

"These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress," the petition reads. "They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.

"It's important to note that these types of discriminatory attitudes contribute significantly towards societal issues such as hate crimes which have been on the rise in recent years (source: FBI Hate Crime Statistics). Furthermore, they can lead to increased mental health issues among targeted communities (source: American Psychological Association).

"We demand accountability from our sports figures who should be role models promoting respect for all people regardless of their race, gender identity or sexual orientation."

It should be noted that Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice has had a terrible offseason that included being charged in a hit-and-run auto accident in Dallas that injured two people. He is currently out on bond.

There is no petition calling for the Chiefs to release Rice.

Chiefs superfan Xavier Babudar recently pleaded guilty to a string of bank robberies and faces a prison sentence. There is no petition to bar him from games.

But neither of those men committed thought infractions. They didn't disagree with the media, with liberals, with society's decaying morals.

LAS VEGAS - Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

NFL Rarely Fires Talented People

Butker went there.

He also went here: He connected on 33 of 35 field goals and on all 38 extra points in 2023. He set a Super Bowl record with a 57-yard field goal.

And that's where the NFL meritocracy comes into play. Butker, you see, is good. And good players find a way to stay in the league.

Receiver Josh Gordon was suspended or disciplined half-a-dozen times for failing various performance-enhancing drug tests, getting arrested for DUI, or getting suspended for recreational drug use.

And he kept getting signed by teams over a 10-year span.

People say Colin Kaepernick was blackballed from the NFL for his political stances. Except he wasn't cut from the 49ers until he lost his starting job amid a 1-10 season. 

And he wasn't signed by anyone else, but did get the opportunity to work out for multiple teams, and even had the league put on a one-man scouting combine of sorts so teams could gather all at the same place and watch him work out.

Kaepernick decided at the last moment to work out elsewhere and didn't tell some of the teams.

NFL teams kept signing Antonio Brown amid some bizarre behavior – up until that day he ripped off his jersey on the sideline and quit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The point is the NFL is very forgiving of very talented people and the guess here is Butker isn't losing his job.

Not that he needs anyone's forgiveness, anyway, for speaking his mind.

Updates number of people who've signed the petition as of Thursday morning.