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Harrison Butker's faith-based commencement speech has received a ton of backlash, to the point where a petition surfaced calling on the Kansas City Chiefs to release the three-time Super Bowl-winning kicker.
Former MLB pitcher Matt Dermody, who believes he has a case for being blackballed by the league due to expressing his own faith-based beliefs, is among those who applaud Butker’s speech.
Dermody, who currently pitches for Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League’s Norte Division, was a guest on OutKick’s "Tomi Lahren Is Fearless" show on Monday, when he expressed his support for Butker.
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Boston Red Sox pitcher Matt Dermody, #67, throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at CoolToday Park. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
"Last thing I remember, we’re in America, and we’re granted certain rights here – freedom of religion, freedom of speech," he began. "Harrison Butker, he expresses his freedom of religion and his opinion. There’s nothing that’s wrong with that.
"There’s some things you agree and disagree with – and I’m in the same boat right there. But one thing is I commend Harrison Butker for standing up for his beliefs and his faith. It takes courage for that, so I applaud him for that."
Dermody dealt with a similar attack against his faith when a post from 2021 resurfaced after the Boston Red Sox called him up to the big leagues in 2023.
"#PrideMonth. Homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. They will go to hell. That is not my opinion, but the #Truth. Read 1 Corinthians 6:9. May we all examine our hearts, ask Jesus to forgive us, and repent for our sins. I love you all in Christ Jesus!" read the post, which was sent while Dermody was playing in Japan.
The Red Sox initially said Dermody and team brass, which included then-chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, discussed the post, and the team expressed they wanted him to take it down. The Red Sox said Dermody understood and did so. However, he would be released after one spot start in June 2023, and the Red Sox later apologized for calling him up.
Dermody stayed true to his religious beliefs, which is why he appreciates and respects what Butker said in his speech. However, attacks from those who do not feel the same comes with the territory.
"That’s the thing. God is going to refine us in the fire," Dermody told Lahren. "All who are in the faith, they’re going to be put through the fire. …This is Harrison Butker’s trial and his refining moment. I commend him a lot.
"I commend Harrison for standing up for his faith. These hard truths are what shows his faith. He’s standing for what he believes, and I applaud him."
Harrison Butker, #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs, warms up prior to Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas. ( Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Dermody added that Butker stuck to his religious beliefs because of the audience of Catholic students in the audience. He also feels Butker "did not put any women down."
"He never said women need to leave the CEO office and go in the kitchen. He never said that.
"He was lifting up his wife in the position she’s in, which is homemaker, and he was speaking about the lies that’s directed towards women. One of the lies he was talking about was the homemaker, the stay-at-home mom who raises the family, is not a job to be coveted. Harrison Butker was saying it is actually the most important job in his family because he values his family because all else."
"He was actually putting his wife above himself. That’s exactly what a husband and man is supposed to do."
Dermody feels the media is "getting it wrong" in terms of Butker’s speech perception.
"That’s what the media does – they put the fear of losing our jobs in our minds," Dermody said. "So, if we speak up for our beliefs, we’re going to get persecuted for it and that’s the way the world is being run right now. Harrison Butker was telling these Catholic students to be strong and be ready and stand up for Godly values."
Dermody went on to explain that he was offered a spring training invite by the Minnesota Twins prior to the start of the 2024 season. However, three days after he got it, his agent was told by the organization they had to pull the contract away. Though he does not know for certain, Dermody believes the league made the Twins drop the deal.
Matt Dermody, #67 of the Boston Red Sox, throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 8, 2023 in Cleveland. (George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Now, Dermody plays in Tijuana, where he owns a 3.89 ERA over seven starts (34.2 innings).
Dermody is not the only name in sports who showed support for Butker. ESPN NFL broadcaster Sam Ponder called the petition that was created to have the Chiefs ditch Butker "totally un-American."
"Personally I agreed with a few things he said … especially that most women are more excited/proud of their families than their day jobs," Ponder said on social media. "I love my job and have worked my butt off (and slept in my car) to get here, but it’s not even comparable to how I feel about being a mom! ESPN will not be with me on my deathbed. When did that become offensive?
"I disagreed with a few things he said, too. I do not think my life ‘began’ when I became a wife and mom. I think you can live totally fulfilled purposeful life as a single woman in the workplace! Frankly I think I could have had an equally meaningful life if I never got married/became a mother. I’m so proud to be an American where he can share his beliefs openly."
Former MLB pitcher Matt Dermody, right, said he applauds Harrison Butker for speaking about his beliefs despite major backlash from college graduation speech. (Getty Images)
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Gracie Hunt, the daughter of Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt, also shared her support for Butker on "Fox & Friends" last Friday.
"Well, I can only speak from my own experience, which is I've had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up. And I understand that there are many women out there who can't make that decision. But for me and my life, I know it was really formative and in shaping me and my siblings into who we are," she said.
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