Sports
Harrison Butker's commencement speech 'was taken totally out of context,' Super Bowl champion coach says
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker found himself dealing with a whirlwind of criticism in the offseason for his faith-based commencement speech at Benedictine College.
Butker urged female graduates to embrace being a “homemaker” and criticized the LGBTQ community and President Biden for his stance on abortion. He added, “[T]hings like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.”
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker celebrates after scoring against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 22, 2024. (Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)
Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy said in an interview on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich” that he thought critics misinterpreted what he said.
“I thought it was taken totally out of context … if you listen to what he was saying there wasn’t anything to be offended by,” Dungy said. “He said a lot of these ladies are going to have great careers, but some of them and many of them might find that their most meaningful thing in life is parenting, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.
HALL OF FAME COACH THINKS ANTHONY RICHARDSON CAN BE TOP-5 QB IF HE FIXES 1 THING
Tony Dungy (Chris Unger/Getty Images/File)
“I’ve done a lot of things and got a lot of accolades that the world would put on you and the most meaningful thing in my life has been parenting. So, I don’t think there was anything wrong with saying that. They probably didn’t like the way he said it, and it was directed, you know, to a cross-cultural audience. I get all of that. He was speaking to a very limited audience in a limited context, and I thought it got taken way out of context.”
Dungy understood some of the criticism because of his belief in God and the way he talks about the Bible.
“I don’t think there is necessarily a right way to say it for a lot of people. I’m a Christian, I know that’s why I take heat, and sometimes when you elicit those values and say this is what the Bible says and this is what I stand on, [and if] people don’t believe in the Bible, and they don’t want to hear that, then they are going to be upset,” he said.
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)
“But that’s the way I talk, that’s what I stand on, and I think Harrison is the same way. And so if you’re talking about biblical principles, there’s always going to be some people that get offended by that, and they say keep that out of our sport, keep that out of politics, keep your religious beliefs to yourself; and unfortunately for them, I’m not going to do that. So, that comes across as being unlikeable sometimes.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
RANKING THE TOP 20 PLAYERS IN THE MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL
But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
New Mexico54 seconds agoStronger winds develop this weekend
-
North Carolina7 minutes agoNorth Carolina Central University hosts the HBCU Dope Art Tour at Hayti Heritage Center
-
North Dakota13 minutes agoNorth Dakota highlights nearly 10 Years of victims’ constitutional rights during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
-
Ohio19 minutes agoThousands of rubber ducks take over Cuyahoga Falls Saturday for Ohio Rubber Duck Dash
-
Oklahoma25 minutes agoPonca City homeowners warned to verify roofers offering Strengthen Oklahoma Homes grants
-
Oregon31 minutes agoHow to register to vote in Oregon ahead of April 28 deadline
-
Pennsylvania37 minutes agoSandra “Sandy” J. Kulka, Transfer, PA
-
South Dakota55 minutes agoBrewing a celebration – AOL