Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker had multiple big chances to come through against the Seattle Seahawks, as he has done many times in his 10-year career.
The first came before halftime, when a long interception return by cornerback Nohl Williams provided a last-second effort to score points before the break. Butker’s 58-yard attempt was right down the middle but fell well short.
That kept the score at 10-0, instead of a one-score game at halftime. Butker got a second chance to bring the game within
one possession later in the contest, with under eight minutes to go.
The 45-yard field goal sailed wide right, and the typically clutch kicker helped put Kansas City in an insurmountable hole in their first loss of the season.
Obviously, all three phases contributed to the loss, as head coach Andy Reid made clear during his opening remarks at the podium following the game. When asked further about Butker, Reid acknowledged that the three-time Super Bowl champion kicker needs to improve.
“He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football,” Reid started. “He’s off a bit, so gotta fix it.”
Butker’s most consistent skill for most of his career has been dialing in long-range kicks. In 2023, he made all five of his regular-season attempts over 50 yards. However, this season, he has made only one of his five such attempts.
It was a talking point last season because of injury concerns for Butker, who had missed time during the 2024 season. However, all signs pointed to Butker being healthy throughout the offseason and into the game schedule.
If Butker can’t fault an injury, the 31-year-old may not be the player he used to be, and Kansas City can’t overextend loyalty this season. If Butker doesn’t sharpen his skills before the games get more crucial, the Chiefs should feel justified in bringing in competition for the kicker position.
It wasn’t that long ago that Spencer Shrader and Matthew Wright were coming off the street and making game-winners for Kansas City.
