Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl winner Harrison Butker recently told students that success and money have far less meaning than getting married and having a family.
The 27-year-old NFL player appeared as the keynote speaker at Georgia Tech’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies on Saturday, and he told the students that he had what has become a “controversial” bit of advice.
“In the end, no matter how much money you attain, none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose,” he said during his address. “I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will have a lasting impact for generations to come: Get married and start a family.”
Two-time Catholic Super Bowl Champ @buttkicker7 STUNS graduates with most important, unexpected advice:
“In the end— no matter how much money you attain— none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose… I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will… pic.twitter.com/NiNNKfWal9
— Danny De Urbina (@dannydeurbina) May 6, 2023
His full comments on marriage revealed his dedication to family.
But in the end, no matter how much money you attain, none of it will matter if you are alone and devoid of purpose. As someone raised in a family of overachievers, success was expected. And as a young man, I found happiness in being celebrated for my worldly achievements. My inner desire to be celebrated manifested academically through long hours of studying and of course, riding the curve. That desire was pushed further by the many successes I attained playing here on the flats.
All of you are here today because you are smart, capable and hardworking people. But if we’re being honest, the world is filled with miserable, smart, capable and hardworking people. There are too many examples to list of people who have achieved great worldly success and fleeting happiness, but in the end are unfulfilled. Now, don’t get me wrong, I want you to be successful. But this isn’t so much about your career as it is using your talents, being your best, fulfilling the potential you were created for.
Butker urged the students to “use today as an opportunity to take stock of your mission. Our culture is suffering. We all see it.”
Then he added:
It doesn’t matter which political persuasion you sit on or whether you are a person of deep faith or not. Anyone with eyes can see that something is off. Studies have shown one of the many negative effects of the pandemic is that a lot of young adults feel a sense of loneliness, anxiety and depression, despite technology that has connected us more than ever before. It would seem the more connected people are to one another, the more they feel alone. I’m not sure the root of this, but at least I can offer one controversial antidote that I believe will have a lasting impact for generations to come, get married and start a family.
The player said the most important ring he’s ever earned was his wedding band, not his Super Bowl ring. “And the truth is,” he continued, “none of these accomplishments mean anything compared to the happiness I have found in my marriage and in starting a family.”
He concluded by saying that the most important legacy he leaves mankind is his children.
My confidence as a husband and father and yes, even as a football player, is rooted in my marriage with my wife. As we leave our mark on future generations by the children we bring into the world, how much greater of a legacy can anyone leave than that? Sadly, we are encouraged to live our lives for ourselves, to move from one thing to another with no long-term commitment, to have loyalty for nothing but ourselves and sacrifice only when it suits our own interests. This loneliness is rooted in the lies being sold about self-dependence and prioritizing our career over important relationships.
Butker has spoken about his faith before, too.
Butker gave a heartfelt interview to EWTN in Feb. that reveals his deep religious faith:
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