On Saturday morning, Harrison Butker, a former Tech star and two-time Super Bowl champion kicker, was once again in the spotlight as the keynote speaker for Georgia Tech’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The Kansas City Chief kicker stunned the graduates with 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 have a lasting impact for generations to come: GET MARRIED AND START A FAMILY.”
Read the rest of his speech (transcribed by AI):
I am someone not much older than all of you. Yet I’ve been asked to speak. Not because I am a great orator or because I have a number of impressive accolades. Well, I guess I do have two Super Bowl rings. I just happen to be blessed by God to be really good at kicking a funny shaped ball between two yellow posts.
So as someone who is not paid to speak for a living, I’m about to pop off some hard truths. I don’t care if you have a successful career. I don’t care if you have a big bank account or you fly private. Many of you in this crowd will achieve these things. Some of you maybe already have.
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.
It is said what’s done in the darkness will be brought to the light. This is a powerful reminder to us all that our actions matter whether they’re seen or not. Some of the most important people who have ever lived remain unknown and their stories have yet to be told. But they still used their godgiven talents to do great things and change the world. What a profound example to be motivated by our purpose rather than the current spotlight of the world.
For many of you, your academic careers are coming to an end. For some, this is just one of many milestones. Either way, it is important to use today as an opportunity to take stock of your mission. Our culture is suffering. We all see it.
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.
I will say this is the most important ring I have right here. Having kicked the game winning field goal in both the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl, I have received a great deal of praise for these successes. They just announced that this Super Bowl was the most watched football game of all time. And yet, all of this happiness is temporary. And the truth is, none of these accomplishments mean anything compared to the happiness I have found in my marriage and in starting a family.
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 selfdependence and prioritizing our career over important relationships.
WATCH:
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
