Coach Andy Reid just confirmed what has to be a relief for some folks in Kansas City: Harrison Butker is staying on as their kicker. Yeah, despite a crucial missed 54-yard field goal late in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, Reid told reporters on Wednesday that there will be no change. Meanwhile, here in the Emerald City, some of us are wishing our coach’s biggest headache was *just* a kicker after that absolute gut punch of a game against the Bears.
Butker’s Misses and Reid’s Rationalization
So, Butker shanked that 54-yarder to the right, a miss that surely contributed to the Chiefs’ eventual loss to the Broncos. Reid, ever the coach, explained away the miss, saying Butker was apparently trying to avoid a block. “I get it,” Reid said on Monday, “It just went a little bit too wide on it.” Sounds like a coach protecting his guy, right? What else is he going to say? It also probably helps that former All-Pro kicker Justin Reid is hanging out on the practice squad, creating a bit of a safety net without being an immediate threat.
But let’s be real, seven missed kicks in seven 2026 games is a stat that would make any fan sweat. For Butker, Reid’s message was clear without having to spell it out: his status only gets more secure if he does the one thing every NFL team needs their kicker to do. Make his kicks. Simple as that. The 5-2 Chiefs are hosting the 2-6 Jets this Sunday, and you can bet all eyes will be on Butker when he trots out there.
A Kicker Problem? Try a Whole Team Problem, Seattle!
While Reid is over there, calmly explaining away his kicker’s woes, we’re all still trying to scrub the memory of that 34-17 final score against the Chicago Bears from our brains. Thirty-four points! THIRTY-FOUR! Mike Macdonald and the defensive crew have got to be ripping their hair out. We just got steamrolled, giving up more than double our own score.
It’s one thing to worry about a guy hitting a 54-yard field goal. It’s a whole other beast when your entire team looks like they’re still stuck in preseason mode, letting the Bears put up a staggering 34 points on us. That’s the kind of performance that leaves the 12s shaking their heads and wondering what the heck happened. While the Chiefs are trying to sort out their kicking game, we’re left staring at a scoreboard that screamed disappointment. We need more than just “getting it a little bit too wide” on a kick. We need to figure out how to stop opponents from just running all over us.
Butker’s path to security is to make his kicks. Our path to getting this season back on track, and calming down the fanbase, is to figure out how to stop opposing offenses and give up way, way fewer than 34 points. The Chiefs have their next challenge this Sunday, hosting the Jets. For us? We’re looking for answers and a huge rebound, because that Bears game was just plain unacceptable.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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