Chiefs stand by Harrison Butker after mixed performance

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker had a mixed performance in Sunday’s win against the Los Angeles Chargers. But the Chiefs aren’t worried.

Butker began his Week 6 outing at Arrowhead Stadium by making a 44-yard field goal. He then missed an extra point, made his next and connected on a field goal from 50 yards. With the Chiefs up 19-6 in the fourth quarter, Butker missed from 52 yards before eventually closing the game with a 30-yard make.

“I’ve got confidence that he’ll work through that,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “He’ll get through it. He’s still doing some pretty good things. He’s got good strong legs. He’ll work it out.”

The foreshadowing for such games may have existed in the preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, against whom Butker made attempts from 45, 58 and 69 before missing an extra point and a game-winner from 43.

Through five regular-season games, Butker has made 10 of 13 field goals (76.9%), ranking in a three-way tie for 22nd in the league.

Like Reid, special teams coordinator Dave Toub has faith that Butker will right the ship, assuring reporters that he sees no issue in Butker’s mechanics.

“He’s a human being,” Toub said of Butker on Thursday. “Every once in a while, he’s not going to hit the ball exactly the way he wants to. He missed that extra point, but he came back and made another extra point, another big field goal right before the half, right after. So it wasn’t affecting him there. And then the long field goal, the (52), it was about a foot outside the right post.”

Butker made 94.3% of his field goals in 2023, including 5 for 5 from 50 yards out. In 2024, he made 84% of his kicks and went 2 of 5 from 50-plus.

Last season, Butker made 86.8% of his field goals and was 5 for 8 from 50-plus yards. This year, he’s 1 for 4 from that distance.

Toub and the Chiefs tested Butker at the team facility on Wednesday.

“We’re not hitting the panic button at all,” Toub said. “And he had a real good day of practice (Wednesday), made 10-for-10. And we tested him on some long ones and he made those, and made short ones and made them all. So a lot of confidence in Butker.”

There is little doubt that the 31-year-old is still a capable kicker, but the trend points to a possible decline from long distance. Fortunately for the Chiefs, the clutch kick still appears to be in his toolbox.

The franchise’s all-time postseason leader in field goals and extra points, Butker has made 90% of his postseason field goals, including a 27-yard game-winning kick against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII and a 29-yard game-tying kick against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII to force overtime.

This season, Butker has made two overtime field goals, including a 40-yard winner to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.

“He’s the same guy,” Toub said. “He’s the same guy, always. You can never get inside somebody’s head, but I could tell by his body language and everything that he is totally fine. The only time I’ve seen him where he turned a little different was when he hurt his ankle. And he turned, he had a different technique.

Butker underwent surgery on his left knee during the 2024 season and missed four games. He worked to reestablish his technique the following offseason.

“I think he’s back now, and he’s just as focused,” Toub said. “He works hard. He’s out there early. He’s doing everything the same. We just got to power through it. Got a long way to go here. We won the game. I mean, that’s positive.”

Toub’s right.

The misses did not cost the Chiefs last Sunday. This Sunday night, the margin for error shrinks as Kansas City travels to face the Seattle Seahawks.

As of Thursday afternoon, Las Vegas odds suggest the game will be decided by a field goal.