Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding celebration at Madison Square Garden on Friday drew a packed guest list, but one Kansas City Chiefs name stood out for not being there: Harrison Butker.
According to the Daily Mail, Butker did not attend the event and was the only current Chiefs player left off the invite list. That detail carried extra weight because Butker has been with the team alongside Kelce since 2017, making his absence noticeable as the couple celebrated in front of around 1,000 guests from sports, music, Hollywood, and fashion.
Butker’s public controversy dates back two years to his graduation speech at Benedictine College. In that speech, he said that many women should focus on raising a family rather than building a career.
He also criticized then-President Joe Biden’s views on abortion and spoke against the LGBTQ+ community. More than 260,000 people signed a petition asking the Chiefs to release him.
Kelce later defended his teammate during a May 2024 episode of the New Heights podcast, even while making clear he did not agree with most of what Butker said. “When it comes down to his views and what he said at the Saint Benedict’s commencement speech, those are his,” 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.”
Kelce added, “I don’t think that I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views, of how to go about life.”
Jason Kelce also pushed back on Butker’s remarks while calling for respect across differing opinions. He said, “The things he said in the commencement speech are not things that I align myself with.”
Patrick Mahomes stood by Butker as well. “I’ve known Harrison for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day,” Mahomes said. “That’s a good person.”
Andy Reid offered a similar message. “Everybody is from different areas, different religions, different races, and so we all get along, we all respect each other’s opinions.”
Even without Butker, several Chiefs were in attendance. Chris Jones, Kareem Hunt, and Trent McDuffie all made the trip to New York. Mecole Hardman Jr., Raiders TE coach Luke Steckel, Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp, and Baker Mayfield were also invited.