Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid defended his decision to trust kicker Harrison Butker on a 54-yard field goal attempt against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, despite Butker's recent struggles. The miss proved costly as the Broncos subsequently drove for a game-winning touchdown.
With the Chiefs leading by three points late in the game, a sack on Patrick Mahomes turned a potential 48-yard attempt into a 54-yarder. Butker pushed the kick wide right, marking his third significant miss in two weeks. The sequence has intensified scrutiny on Butker, whose accuracy from long range has declined sharply.
Through the 2023 season, Butker converted 89.1% of his field goals and 70% from beyond 50 yards (28 of 40). Since then, his overall percentage has dropped to 82.2%, and he has made just 8 of 18 attempts (44.4%) from 50-plus yards. This season he is 1 of 5 from that distance and also missed a 45-yard try.
The Chiefs signed former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad this week, adding competition. Tucker has been out of the league since 2024 following allegations of sexual misconduct reported by The Baltimore Banner. Reid maintained that the 54-yard kick was within Butker's range, but the statistics suggest otherwise, raising questions about how long Butker will remain the team's primary kicker.
