Thomas Griffin 2/8/25
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Let Us Begin: New Book on the Life and Power of St. Francis
Harrison Butker is the field-goal kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs. This Sunday he will be looking to win his fourth Super Bowl ring. Statistically, he is one of the most accurate field goal kickers in NFL history. Even though he could easily have so much fame for being a professional athlete, Buker has become more well known for his faith and willingness to speak about it.
His commencement speech at Benedictine College last Spring went viral because of his strength in talking about his faith. Countless critics came out and accused him of being judgmental and too harsh. He was very blunt when commenting on famous Catholics who promote things that are contrary to the faith. He said that their false witness “is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn’t cut it.”
We reported on the entire story and the cultural response back in May.
During media week before the big game, a reporter asked him if he had any regrets about his words during his speech. Butker noted that there is no ill will from anyone in the locker room of the Chiefs. “There is a lot of love in that locker room,” he noted. Harrison said that there is deep respect among the guys on his team and they all know what is most important to him. He said the guys know what he stands for, and they respect him for his willingness to stand by what he knows to be true.
What is more interesting than the media buzz revolving around his college commencement speech last year, is the story of how Butker became faithful to begin with. The Knights of Columbus produced a phenomenal video which outlines his history. It all goes back to his time as a field goal kicker at Georgia Tech.
Butker admits that faith was not a big part of his life growing up. He references himself as a “Christian, only in name.” The faith was not something very important to him. He did not see it as a relevant aspect of being a man or a good person.
Everything changed when a college student at Georgia Tech walked on the football team as a punter. Grant changed his life. Up to this point in time, Butker had so many questions about his faith and whether or not any of it was true. He did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The witness of Grant altered his faith and set him on a path to placing his relationship with God at the center of his life.
Grant was able to explain the truths of the Catholic faith and why what we believed was true and important for one’s life. Grant’s faith began to flourish only after a tragedy. As a boy he was in a terrible accident on the football field. During practice he landed on his head in an awkward manner and was given less than a 1% chance of surviving. Somehow, he made it through. As a result, his faith became the center of his life.
While he could not play a physical position anymore, Grant still desires to be a part of the game. So, he began practicing to be a punter. Kick after kick he became more skilled and he was determined to make the Georgia Tech team as a walk on. Once he did, he and Butker began spending a lot of time together as the kickers for the squad. These long hours of conversation began to change Harrison into the man he is today.
The story of how Grant came to faith and how he influenced Butker is amazing but also quite simple. When we are faced with our mortality we tend to see life more clearly. Grant saw that all of life is a gift. Gratitude and joy became a key part of his life moving forward because he felt that God gave him a second chance on life.
He changed Butker simply by living out these two qualities and being open about the truth of the faith. This serves as a reminder to us that being open about one’s faith could radically change someone’s life. It also shows us that Christian joy is contagious. Ultimately, no matter the struggles of life we are called to rejoice because there is no pain or suffering that God cannot overcome.
So, be a disciple of joy and talk about the truth of the faith. You never know who you might inspire.
Thomas Griffin is the chairperson of the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has a masters degree in theology and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empty Tomb Project: The Magazine. He is the author of Let Us Begin: Saint Francis’s Way of Becoming Like Christ and Renewing the World.
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