Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker drew progressive backlash after a commencement speech in which he lauded women embracing motherhood and exhorted men to be masculine.

Butker delivered the address at Benedictine College, a liberal arts Roman Catholic school in Kansas, and appeared to draw enthusiasm from his audience as he denounced the cultural acceptance of abortion, the rise of sexually degenerate lifestyles, and the increasing level of government tyranny. The portions of his speech which drew the most online reactions are those in which he encouraged young men and women to embrace their creational designs.

Butker warned the women in the audience that they have been targeted with “the most diabolical lies,” told to them by a society which scoffs at traditional femininity.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said. “But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

The athlete was visibly emotional as he praised his own wife for taking care of and educating their children. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” he said.

Butker, who also described the value of family and marriage to graduates at another commencement address last year, said he now more willingly speaks on controversial issues as he leans into his “vocation as a husband and father, and as a man.”

“To the gentlemen here today, part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in,” he continued. “Be unapologetic in your masculinity. Fight against the cultural emasculation of men.”

Butker, a Roman Catholic, drew broad support from Christians and conservatives. Social media users noted that demand for Butker uniforms surged in the wake of his speech.

The three-time Super Bowl champion nevertheless faced backlash from progressives. One petition demanding that the Chiefs dismiss Butker garnered more than 100,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon: organizers said his comments were “sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion, and racist.” Jonathan Beane, the chief diversity and inclusion officer of the NFL, told media outlets that Butker delivered the speech “in his personal capacity,” also saying “the NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger."