Fact Check: Chiefs Coach Andy Reid Defended Harrison Butker and Said, 'If Harrison Goes, I Go with Him'?

Claim:

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid defended Harrison Butker and said, "If Harrison goes, I go with him."

Rating:

Originated as Satire ( About this rating? )

On May 18, 2024, X user @ArdorNew posted a screenshot claiming Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid released a statement defending the team's kicker, Harrison Butker, who faced some backlash following his May 11 commencement speech at Kansas' Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school.

The Associated Press reported Butker's speech featured remarks about women and motherhood, Pride month, and U.S. President Joe Biden's policies, among other subjects. The official YouTube channel for Benedictine College hosts a video of the full speech, while the National Catholic Register website features a complete transcript .

According to the post, Reid said he would consider retiring if the Chiefs decided to fire Butker from the team for delivering the speech. "If Harrison goes, I go with him," Reid supposedly said.

The caption in the post read as follows:

Andy Reed [sic] let the Chiefs organization know where he stands when he heard rumors that they were planning to fire Harrison Butker.

"You let the Kelce sideshow keep going even after he screamed at me on the field. Not this time. This is where I draw the line."

Reed said he's not concerned with breaking his contract. "I'm due to retire, if that's what it takes."

Andy Reed Stands Behind Harrison Butker: "If Harrison Goes, I Go with Him"

However, this item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The screenshot in X user @ArdorNew's post displayed a different post originating on a Facebook page named America - Love It Or Leave It, which is one of several Facebook pages and websites making up the America's Last Line of Defense network of satire and parody. In other words, Reid never made any of the remarks mentioned in the post.

A different Facebook page in the same satire and parody network also posted an alternative version of this same meme. The America's Last Line of Defense Facebook page posted the second meme claiming Reid said of Butker, "I'm not losing a great kicker to this whole woke thing. Not on my watch." Additionally, the second meme featured the purported Reid quote, "If they get rid of Harrison, they get rid of me."

According to the Kansas City Star , the Chiefs had not yet issued an official team response regarding Butker's speech. We also found no trace of Reid releasing a statement.

For further reading, we previously reported on another fake quote originating from a different satirical Facebook page claiming Butker made subsequent remarks in response to the backlash he received following his speech.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

"Chiefs Kicker Butker Congratulates Women Graduates and Says Most Are More Excited about Motherhood." The Associated Press , 14 May 2024, https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-harrison-butker-e00f6ee45955c99ef1e809ec447239e0 .

"Full Text: Harrison Butker of Kansas City Chiefs Graduation Speech." NCR , 16 May 2024, https://www.ncregister.com/news/harrison-butker-speech-at-benedictine .

Grathoff, Pete, and Lisa Gutierrez. "The Chiefs Remain Quiet about Harrison Butker, but the Hunt Women Are Speaking Out." Kansas City Star , 17 May 2024, https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article288544919.html .

"Harrison Butker | Commencement Address 2024 | Benedictine College." YouTube , Benedictine College, 11 May 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JS7RIKSaCc .

Updates:

May 19, 2024: Snopes updated this report with a second meme making similar satirical claims about Reid and Butker.