The Chiefs aren’t making a change at kicker just yet.
Andy Reid said Wednesday that Harrison Butker will keep the job when Kansas City goes to Atlanta to face the Falcons, even after a rough stretch that has made him the NFL kicker with the most missed field goals this season.
“As far as the kicking part goes, I’m going to stick with Butler this week, and we’ll go from there,” Reid said in his opening statement to reporters Wednesday.
Butker’s latest misfires came in last week’s 35-12 win over the New York Jets. Right before halftime, he pushed a 56-yard try wide right. A Jets penalty moved the Chiefs five yards closer for another shot, but the result looked the same: another miss, again wide right, this time from 51 yards.
The season numbers tell the story. Butker is 12-of-19 on field goals and has also missed an extra point. Last year, he missed five field goals, which was the second-most misses of his career.
After Sunday’s game, Butker said he was just as puzzled by the slump as everyone watching it.
“I wish I knew,” Butker said. “I don’t go out to those 50-yard-plus field goals feeling nervous or scared.
I’m confident, excited for it, and it’s just not clicking. It’s not happening.”
The Chiefs do have another kicker in the building. Two weeks ago, they signed former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad.
For now, though, Reid is staying with the veteran who has been with Kansas City since 2017 and holds Super Bowl records for longest field goal and most career field goals.
“Harrison has done such a great job for us over time,” Reid said. “Sometimes you go through these little peaks and valley things. I’m going to give him a chance to work through them, and we’ll see how things go.”
In Other News...
Chiefs Suddenly Face A Backfield Question Before Falcons Matchup
A late-week injury note has added a little uncertainty to Kansas Citys backfield ahead of its matchup with Atlanta. Kenneth Walker was held out of practice Friday because of a tight groin and is now listed as questionable, giving the Chiefs one more thing to monitor as they prepare for a game that comes with plenty of attention for a team sitting at 6-2.
Andy Reid offered updates on Walkers condition as the Chiefs worked through their final prep, and the timing matters with the roster already seeing movement elsewhere. Kansas City recently added wide receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts, so the offense is adjusting on multiple fronts while trying to keep its momentum intact against the Falcons. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Suddenly Have A Familiar Late-Season Receiver Question
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If Brown is claimed off waivers, he will finish the season elsewhere, which leaves the Chiefs to watch a situation that feels a little too familiar for this time of year. Even without any certainty about where he lands, his exit from Philadelphia reopens a late-season question Kansas City knows well: whether a former contributor might become part of the picture again when the stretch run gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Get A Familiar Sunday Broadcast For Rare Falcons Trip
The Chiefs rare trip to Atlanta comes with a familiar Sunday afternoon feel, at least for viewers back home. Kansas City will face the Falcons at noon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the game will air locally on KCTV (Ch. 5) with CBS Sports top broadcast team on the call.
For a team that has spent much of the season in the national spotlight, the broadcast assignment is another reminder of how closely every Chiefs game is being watched. The Week 10 slate also comes with a full set of NFL broadcast pairings, but this one stands out because of the matchup itself, with Kansas City heading to a building it does not visit often and trying to handle business on the road in a spot that has not been kind to the franchise in years. [Read more 🡒]