Following Harrison Butker's controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College in May, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker experienced backlash from some fans who wanted the organization to release him.

Harrison Butker proved that a little controversy can be good for business. The Kansas City Chiefs kicker, who drew outrage for his inflammatory commencement address earlier this year, sold more NFL-licensed gear this spring than teammate Travis Kelce.

While Kelce may have his superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift to thank for his rise in popularity over the past year, it appears that teammate Harrison Butker has turned controversy into a surprising boost in popularity.

In a statement addressing his words, the NFL’s Chief Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane told PEOPLE at the time, "Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

That helped Butker make NFL history as his jersey cracked the NFLPA’s Top 50 Player Sales list. Butker became only the second kicker ever to make the top-50 list. The Bengals’ Evan McPherson was 36th in 2022. But Butker’s jersey was far ahead of that, as it was the 11th-most purchased in the NFL from March 1 to May 31, the NFLPA said.