Harrison Butker missed another field goal on Sunday, a 51-yarder against the New York Jets, and the Kansas City crowd let him hear it with a chorus of boos. This wasn’t just any miss, either. It was his only attempt of the day in a 35-12 win, and it has absolutely cranked up the pressure on the veteran kicker.
“I Need to See It Go Through”
The 51-yard miss came as the first-half clock expired. After the game, CBS’s Tracy Wolfson directly asked Head Coach Andy Reid what he needed to see from Butker going forward. Reid’s answer was short, punchy, and tells you everything you need to know: “I need to see it go through.” What’s even wilder is that Reid didn’t even wait for a question about Butker. He brought up the kicking situation himself in his opening statement, saying, “I’m sure I’ll be asked about Butker. I’ll address that as we go throughout the week. I’ll look at everything. No need to ask. That’ll be the answer that you get. Not making any decisions right now today.” He wasn’t ruling out a change, not even for a second.
Butker’s Struggles and Tucker’s Shadow
This isn’t just a one-off bad kick for Butker. He’s in his 10th season with the Chiefs and has three Super Bowl rings, so moving on from him wouldn’t be easy. But the truth is, he’s currently in the midst of the worst season of his career by far. With that latest miss on Sunday, Butker is now a brutal 12 of 19 for the season. His 63.1% conversion rate is a massive drop from his single-season career low of 88.6% last season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have brought in eight-time All-Pro Justin Tucker to their practice squad for a reason. Tucker also comes with some serious baggage; he has 16 allegations of sexual misconduct against him from his time with the Baltimore Ravens. You don’t take on that kind of off-field drama for someone to just sit on the practice squad.
The message from Andy Reid is crystal clear. A huge decision is looming for Kansas City regarding their veteran kicker, and the next few days will be absolutely crucial as they weigh Butker’s unprecedented struggles against the potential, and the baggage, of Justin Tucker.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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