5 famous people defending Harrison Butker amid commencement speech backlash
3. Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz, the former coach of the University of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish football team and a practicing Catholic, took to X on Friday to thank Butker for “standing strong” in his “faith values.” Holtz told Butker “Don’t give in” as he shared an external link that would enable people to “thank Super Bowl Champion Harrison Buttker, a true man of God.”
The link shared by Holtz redirects fans to a form compiled by the advocacy organization America First Works, headlined, “From Field Goals to Family Goals: Harrison Butker Wins.” The form allows signatories to offer “sincere thanks to Super Bowl Champion, Harrison Butker.” The group also praised Butker for standing “firm in his convictions during his powerful commencement address at Benedictine College.”
“With courage and clarity, Butker championed the timeless virtues of family, faith, and the sanctity of life. His bold proclamation of a pro-family, pro-God, and pro-life worldview resonated deeply, reminding us of the enduring strength found in our foundational beliefs. Harrison’s speech was not just words but a call to action — a directive to embrace our vocations over mere cultural expectations, guiding young minds towards paths of purpose and integrity,” the group asserts on the form.
In addition to praising Butker’s “unwavering dedication to his Christian principles,” the form includes a quote from Holtz assuring people that “God did not put us on this earth to be ordinary.”