In the NFL playoffs, few players tend to be as important as a team’s kicker. There’s the quarterback, of course, and one or two star players from each side like Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones, among others — and then it’s probably the kicker just after that.
Most of these postseason games are won and lost by close margin, and a clutch and talented asset like Harrison Butker has become an integral part of the Chiefs’ playoff success over the years. Unfortunately, Butker is only recently removed from midseason knee surgery on his non-kicking leg, and he’s still working his way back to full strength despite returning in Week 15.
KC special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Dave Toub provided an update on Butker’s leg strength and his ongoing recovery ahead of the Divisional Round matchup with the Houston Texans, and it was all good news on the kicking front.
“[Butker] had a really good day yesterday at practice,” Toub began. “We’re going to go outside today — he had a really good day inside yesterday [too] — but we’ll go out today [on January 15] and I think he’ll follow it up with another good day.”
“He had surgery on that knee, we can’t forget that,” the veteran coach continued. “It was a minor surgery, but still, I think it lingered a little bit because it’s the plant leg that he collapses [when he kicks]… So, it’s changed up things a little bit, but I think he looks good most recently.”
Later, Toub added that Butker has had “a lot of power” this week in practice, kicking from distance like “old Bucker” again. The Chiefs special teams coordinator called this an “encouraging” sign heading into the playoff run.
Chiefs Will Address Harrison Butker’s Kicking Technique During the Offseason, Says Toub
In terms of Butker’s newer kicking motion and follow through, which drops him down on his left knee for maximum power — and was the likely cause of his torn meniscus — Toub confirmed that they will look into adjusting that this offseason, but not before playoffs.
“We’ll address that at the end of the season,” he said. “It’s not something that you want to change right now.”
“It’s something he’s been doing now for the last few years,” Toub explained. “You don’t want to mess with that [in such an important stretch of games].”
Mechanically speaking, switching up an entire kicking motion definitely doesn’t seem ideal ahead of a playoff game. But there’s no question that Butker must switch up his technique long-term if he has plans of longevity.
Since returning from injury, Butker has converted 3-of-5 field goals and 8-of-9 extra points. His two field goal misses were from 20-29 yards and another from 50-plus yards. His makes were from 20-29 yards, 30-39 yards and 40-49 yards, with one conversion from each range of distance.
Chiefs’ Homefield Advantage Involves Special Teams Prep
Homefield advantage is often overlooked despite its importance. Toub shed some light on another bit of the Arrowhead advantage on January 15.
“Yeah, we go over [to Arrowhead] every home game,” Toub noted, discussing the practice schedule. “We’ll go over [on Wednesday]. We’ll go outside and practice, and then as soon as we have our session here, those [specialists] go up and we kick a few at the stadium too just to get a feel for how the field is — the field changes all the time as it gets replaced — and we check the wind and cold and all that stuff.”
Although this may seem like a minor thing, it’s the little coaching tactics like these that can separate a win from a loss. And the Chiefs currently do this type of stuff better than any team in the league.
“Every home game we do it,” Toub concluded. “It’s our advantage.”
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Chiefs Provide ‘Encouraging’ Update on Integral Playoff Weapon