While expressing that he didn't necessarily agree with comments Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker made during a controversial commencement speech, quarterback Patrick Mahomes defended Butker's character and freedom to express his opinion.

"I've known him for seven years and I judge him by the character that he shows every single day, and that's a good person," Mahomes said Wednesday during a news conference. "That's someone who cares about the people around him and cares about his family and wants to make a good impact on society.

"When you're in the locker room, there's a lot of people from different areas of life and they have a lot of different views on everything. We're not always going to agree. And there's certain things that he said that I don't necessarily agree with, but I understand the person that he is and he's trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction. It might not be the same values that I have, but I'm going to judge him by the character that he shows every single day."

Mahomes and the Chiefs kicked off their organized team activities sessions this week, with veterans reporting to the team for practices and training. On Wednesday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid also addressed the content of Butker's speech and similarly praised Butker's freedom to express his thoughts.

"The guys are good with that," Reid said. "They understand how things work — I mean, everyone has got their own opinion. That's what's so great about this country. You can share those things and you work through it."

Reid added that he didn't speak to Butker individually about the commencement speech and did not plan to do so.

"We're a microcosm of life," Reid continued. "Everybody is from different areas, different religions, different races. We all get along and we all respect each other's opinions. Not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everybody to have a voice. That's the great thing about America."

Butker, 28, has played seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Chiefs. During the 20-minute speech delivered May 11 at Benedictine College, Butker expressed sexist and anti-LGBTQIA+ opinions, alluding to "dangerous gender ideologies" centered around Pride Month, the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride. He also expressed his belief that women should prioritize their "vocation" as mothers, wives and homemakers.

On May 15, the NFL formally distanced itself from Butker's comments, saying his opinions "are not those of the NFL as an organization," while adding that the league "is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Mahomes responds to Harrison Butker's controversial speech