Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stood by kicker Harrison Butker after another costly miss in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. With the Chiefs leading by three points late in the game, a sack on Patrick Mahomes turned a potential 48-yard field goal into a 54-yard attempt. Butker pushed the kick wide right, and the Broncos subsequently drove for the game-winning touchdown.
The miss marked Butker's third significant failure in two weeks, raising questions about his reliability. Earlier in the week, the Chiefs signed former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. Tucker has been out of the NFL since 2024 following allegations of sexual misconduct.
After the game, Reid defended the decision to attempt the long field goal. "Those are hindsight. It ended up being what it was," Reid said. "But it's within Harrison's range." However, statistics show Butker's accuracy from beyond 50 yards has declined sharply. Through 2023, he converted 70% of such attempts (28 of 40). Since then, he has made just 44.4% (8 of 18), including only 1 of 5 from 50-plus yards this season.
The Chiefs' inability to trust Butker in critical situations suggests his tenure with the team may be nearing an end, whether the organization turns to Tucker or explores other options.
