By Jeremy
A missed kick in a comfortable win can be easy to dismiss. For the Chiefs, Harrison Butker’s latest miss feels harder to wave away. He missed from 56 yards against the Jets, got another chance after an offside penalty, then missed from 51. Kansas City still won 35–12, but Andy Reid has not committed to Butker for the trip to Atlanta. With Justin Tucker on the practice squad, this week gives the Chiefs a choice they need to take seriously.
One miss is forgivable. Seven demand a closer look.
Butker has now missed seven field goals this season. The 51-yarder was not automatic, and he made all five of his extra points against New York. Neither fact erases the broader pattern. Chiefs fans have seen tight games decided by a single possession; they know the offense cannot always make up for points left on the field.
That does not mean Reid should replace Butker simply to send a message. Tucker’s experience makes him a credible alternative, but a familiar name is not proof that he is kicking better right now. The question is which player gives Kansas City the better chance on the attempts it is likely to face in Atlanta.
Make the practice competition count
Reid said Monday that he had not decided how to divide kicking reps. Once practice begins Wednesday, the Chiefs should give both kickers meaningful work under the same conditions. Routine attempts matter as much as long ones. So do kicks after a wait on the sideline, attempts with the full field-goal unit, and the kind of late-drive situation where there is little time to reset.
Coaches should look beyond makes and misses. Is Butker striking the ball cleanly and repeating his approach? Are his misses clustering to one side? Does Tucker offer a clear improvement, or merely the appeal of doing something different? The holder and snapper are part of that evaluation, too. Kansas City needs to know whether a problem belongs to the kicker, the operation, or both.
Choose the kicker, not the résumé
Butker has earned a fair chance to show this is fixable. He has not earned an automatic start on past performance alone. If practice shows a convincing correction, staying with him is defensible. If the same misses persist and Tucker looks steadier, Reid should be willing to change course. For a team with larger ambitions, the sensible decision is the one supported by this week’s kicks—not by loyalty or frustration.