Throughout the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynastic run, kicker Harrison Butker has been one of the team’s most reliable and overlooked stars.
Mr. Reliable to Liability: Chiefs’ Dilemma on Butker
From clutch postseason field goals to consistent regular-season accuracy, Butker’s right foot has often been the silent difference in tight games. But five games into the 2025 NFL season, that reliability has started to waver, leaving the Chiefs with an unexpected concern at a position that has long been stable.
High Conversion Rate
According to the NFL stats, Butker is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. He entered this season having converted 84 percent of his field goals in seven of his first eight years. His career mark of 88.0 percent ranks among the league’s best. This season, however, he’s been far from automatic. Through six games, Butker has made 11of 14 field goals and 13of 16 extra points, including misses from 40, 56, and 58 yards. His 2025 field goal percentage stands at 78.6, a notable dip for a player known for his precision.
More Stuggles
The struggles were on display again in Kansas City’s 30-17 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, when Butker missed an extra point. A week earlier, in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, he avoided any misses but sent a crucial late-game kickoff out of bounds, giving the Jaguars favorable field position to start what became their game-winning drive.
Speaking before Sunday’s match, head coach Andy Reid maintained confidence in his kicker, offering perspective through a familiar analogy.
“Like any golfer — you guys have all golfed — sometimes you’re hitting it good and other times you’re off,” Reid said. “But you work through it and keep swinging, man, and he’ll do that. He’s a talented kid, mentally tough. I’m not really worried about him.”
Still, the numbers suggest something is off. Butker’s rhythm, once automatic, seems disrupted. Whether it’s mechanics, confidence, or a mix of both, the Chiefs are navigating unfamiliar territory with a player they’ve long trusted in pressure moments.
Injury Limit
This dip in form follows a 2024 season that was also turbulent for Butker. Injuries limited him to 13 games, forcing Kansas City to bring in multiple replacements during the year. One of them, Spencer Shrader, impressed in limited duty — going 3-for-3 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points before finishing the season with stints on the Jets and Colts.
Shrader, who now plays for the Colts, suffered a season-ending injury ACL and MCL when Raiders safety Tristin McCollum hit his kicking leg on an extra point on Sunday. McCollum was flagged for roughing the kicker, and now he’s been fined by the NFL.
Temporary struggles?
Despite last season’s instability, the Chiefs expressed no long-term concern about Butker’s health or reliability heading into 2025. They declined to retain a backup kicker, instead putting full trust in their veteran. But with six games of inconsistency now on record, that confidence may soon be tested.
For a franchise defined by its offensive firepower and championship composure, special teams rarely dominate headlines; the Chiefs can only hope the struggles are temporary.
Main Photo: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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