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Congratulations, Harrison Butker, you played yourself.
The Kansas City Chiefs kicker has made a habit of making “open mouth, insert foot” comments this offseason, the most egregious of which was a commencement speech demeaning women that sounded like something out of an episode of Little House on the Prarie.
But Butker, who the Chiefs recently gave a record-setting contract extension, if wearing his scarlet letter as a badge of pride. Even if that means looking like a fool while doing so.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
– Sir Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/OjVtW9kzNw
— Harrison Butker (@buttkicker7) August 19, 2024
Harrison Butker Shares Winston Churchill Quote That He Never Actually Said
The 29-year-old Georgia Tech product posted a tweet Sunday that read “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
He attributed the seemingly principled quote to former British prime minister (and virulent racist!) Winston Churchill.
There’s just one problem. (There are actually several problems, but we will focusing on the most glaring one).
Churchill never said this. Well, he may have repeated it at some point while reading. But the actual quote comes from French author Victor Hugo (of Les Miserables fame).
According to Politifact, quote stems from a passage Hugo wrote in the 1845 essay “Villemain.”
“You have enemies? Why, it is the story of every man who has done a great deed or created a new idea. It is the cloud which thunders around everything that shines. Fame must have enemies, as light must have gnats. Do not bother yourself about it; disdain. Keep your mind serene as you keep your life clear.”
Well, that is a vast difference from whatever it was that Butker wrote. It’s also very much not Winston Churchill.
Of course, fans jumped on the opportunity to laugh at Butker, who insists on repeatedly opening himself up to criticism.
“Just kick the extra point man,” one fan wrote.
“When nobody sits by you on the team plane,” said another.
Credit to Butker for standing firm behind his principles. But he looks like a larger and larger goof every time he opens his mouth. Or, in this case, with each passing tweet.