The Kansas City Chiefs have suffered back-to-back losses after starting the year with five straight wins, which has made their Week 9 action increasingly important. There are a lot of problems that have begun popping up for the Chiefs, and it is going to be up to head coach Andy Reid to find out solutions for the majority of these issues.
One area Kansas City likely wasn’t expecting to have much trouble with this year was the kicker position, as Harrison Butker has long been one of the most reliable options in the league. That hasn’t been the case as of late, as Butker is struggling mightily, leading to calls for the team to move on from him. However, heading into Week 9, Reid revealed that Butker will remain the Chiefs’ starting kicker.
Andy Reid, Chiefs Sticking With Harrison Butker Despite Struggles
A seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Butker was actually initially drafted by the Carolina Panthers. However, he never suited up for them, as he didn’t make their roster out of training camp as a rookie. While he stuck around on the practice squad, the Chiefs signed him to their active roster early in the 2017 campaign, and the rest is history.
Butker has helped Kansas City win three Super Bowls during his time in town, and while he doesn’t have any Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors to his name, this is a spot the team has not had to worry about for the majority of the past decade. Unfortunately, that train of thought may be changing in real time.
Through seven games, Butker has been a mess, as he’s hit just 12 of his 18 field goal attempts, while also missing one of his 18 extra point attempts. In response to his recent struggles, Kansas City signed embattled veteran Justin Tucker to its practice squad last week, giving it an option to turn to if it no longer believes in Butker. And yet, while he played a big role in the Chiefs’ Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos, Reid revealed that he is sticking with Butker for now.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid said Harrison Butker will remain the team’s kicker Sunday vs. the Jets. Justin Tucker remains on the practice squad,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X.
Is it Time for the Chiefs to Make a Change at the Kicker Position?
Butker missed another field goal against the Broncos on Sunday that had a pretty major impact on the outcome of the Chiefs’ latest game, as the offense was forced to try and score a touchdown on its final drive, rather than being able to kick a game-winning field goal instead. And yet, Reid said after the game that all the blame cannot fall on Butker’s shoulders, and while that’s true, it’s also worth noting that this isn’t the only rough game he has had this season.
Tucker isn’t exactly a sure thing on the practice squad, but at some point, he may be worth giving a look, especially if Butker cannot get back on track. For now, he is the guy who will be handling K.C.’s kicking duties in Week 9 against the New York Jets, but another rough outing could be the final straw for the Chiefs.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid Announces Harrison Butker Decision Amid Ongoing Struggles