NOVEMBER 15: The Chiefs have indeed placed Butker on injured reserve, announcing the move on Friday. The Shrader addition is also now official, and he will now have the opportunity to handle kicking duties for at least the next four games. Butker revealed on social media his surgery was a success, and he will now turn his attention to recovery ahead of a return to action as quickly as possible.
NOVEMBER 14: With the Chiefs winning the bulk of their games by one score, their ace kicker has been crucial to their 9-0 record. The two-time defending champions will soon have a new kicker due to a Harrison Butker injury.
Butker is battling a left knee injury, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, and is likely heading to IR. The injury is expected to sideline the longtime Kansas City specialist for at least three weeks; an IR stay would shelve him for four. As a result, the Chiefs plan to sign Spencer Shrader off the Jets’ practice squad, Pelissero adds.
This injury will require surgery, per Pelissero, as Butker will have an arthroscopic procedure to address the issue. The Chiefs made Butker the NFL’s highest-paid kicker this offseason, re-signing him to a $6.4MM-per-year deal. While Butker’s long-term status is not in question, his availability for this year’s homestretch is.
Butker, 29, practiced fully Wednesday but was limited today. This recent development could be a major issue for the Chiefs, who have seen Butker become one of the NFL’s best kickers over the past several years. Kansas City signed Butker off Carolina’s practice squad in 2017 and have seen him become a long-term weapon. Butker has become the team’s longest-tenured kicker since Nick Lowery.
Butker’s place as a political lightning rod — due to comments made during a commencement address at Benedictine (Kan.) College this spring — notwithstanding, he has continued to be among the NFL’s most reliable kickers. Butker is 18-for-20 on field goals this season, including a 51-yard game-winner to move the Chiefs past the Bengals in Week 2. Butker is 21-for-22 on PATs this season. Shrader, whom the Jets signed shortly before Greg Zuerlein landed on IR, has kicked in two NFL games.
No Pro Bowls have come Butker’s way, but he has been a vital part of the Chiefs’ mission. He kicked a short game-winner in Super Bowl LVII but made a 45-yarder in cold weather to send the Chiefs to that game. Butker also nailed a game-tying kick to force overtime in an all-time playoff thriller against the Bills in 2021 and did the same to force an extra period in Super Bowl LVIII. The latter kick came after Butker set a Super Bowl record with a 57-yarder against the 49ers.
The Panthers drafted Butker in the 2017 seventh round but let him leave for Kansas City due to Graham Gano residing as their primary kicker then. Butker has run into injury trouble in the past; an ankle malady cost him four games early during the 2022 season. This year’s Chiefs team, its unbeaten record aside, has outscored opponents by just 58 points — ninth-most in the NFL. They will now rely on Shrader for the time being, though Butker should be expected back later this season.
A rookie who kicked at South Florida for four seasons and Notre Dame for one, Shrader filled in for Matt Gay in one Colts game this season before kicking in the Jets-Cardinals matchup in Week 10. Shrader is 2-for-2 on field goals, both coming Sunday, and 3-for-3 on PATs (each with Indianapolis). The Jets cut Riley Patterson last week but still have Anders Carlson on their P-squad.
Damn, best kicker in the NFL, tough break for the Chiefs, hopefully they’ll put some points on the scoreboard and won’t rely on Butker for the game winner, he’ll be missed
not even close to the top kicker lmfao! hes not even top 3
I’m sure your wife was looking over your shoulder to ensure you typed that. It’s Friday night date night. Where is your wife’s boyfriend gonna take her
What are you 12? Very weird dude
Shrader hit 68% of his FG attempts in college so I can’t understand why the Jets wouldn’t promote him from their practice squad 🙂
69% is the threshold
If anything, I only see comments like these from left-leaning people.
Radical leftists*
They’re incapable of seeing their own hypcocrisy.
They hate Butkner’s comments but dont see they’re just as intolerant, hateful, and closed minded as they claim him to be.
Quite funny honestly.
lol Sure Jan
“They hate Butkner’s comments”
Because he’s made mildly anti-semitic and fully sexist comments. Calling out that doesn’t make one “intolerant”. If it does, then call me intolerant. I’ll gladly be “close minded” [sic] about Butker telling women they should be less concerned with jobs and promotions and more concerned with staying home to raise a family.
Also, you are outing yourself as an easily-swayed rube when you start throwing out a term like “radical leftist”. Crack a history book or travel some because if you think people on the left in the US are “radical” then you have been misled by right-wing media and propaganda.
I used the term radical left to differentiate between most left leaning people who are decent people you’re able to have civil engagement with and people like yourself who are easily triggered emotionally and become unhinged unstable mentally deranged when ppl offer different perspectives than your world view. Kind of like radical right wingers. Theres a lot of decent right minded people you can have conversations with in a civil manner and agree to disagree on things. And then you got nut jobs on the right too. We call them radical right wingers
“Mildly antisemetic” it either is or isn’t. The fact you’re attaching mildly suggest it wasn’t and you’re trying to make it as if it was.
You listened to the cliff notes version i see. Congrats you don’t have the intellectual capabilities to listen the entire speech. Cause he actually said women should be proud of their accomplishments and degrees but women should also be proud of choosing to be stay at home mothers and raise families and that “success” in life just isn’t working 9-5 job climbing the corporate ladder smashing glass windows earning 6 figure salaries.
Cause, you know, giving a speech about catholic values (family kids) to catholic women (known for not using contraceptions) at a catholic graduation is bad.
Well least you admit you’re intolerant close minded etc. least you’re open about it
Speedy recovery, but I wouldnt be too upset if he misses the season and the chiefs dont 3 peat.
I kind of want to see a new franchise win it
Texans vs Lions
Chargers vs. Vikings
Bills vs. Falcons
J.Allen has the same trouble as D.Prescott can’t win the Big Game. Always finds a way to lose in this type of Game!
Outside Stafford, it seems like everyone not named Mahomes or Brady has trouble winning the Big Game
Divine retribution can be a wonderful thing.
Makes 0 sense but ok
Crazy thing tonight is our monthly pagan meeting. I got a burner phone that I will lay on top of our fire at the Stonehenge to put karma on you.
Divine retribution being a multi millionaire gets to relax for a month off work before returning to his job?
Man I wish I had some divine retribution.
Good thing he still gets paid or his wife would have to work
Does your wife’s boyfriend contribute any income to your household?
His wife is pretty lucky that she gets to decide if she wants to stay at home or work since his income more than handles the finances.
If only we were all so lucky to be in a position where we could spend more time with family and our children instead of both members having to work full time jobs or multiple jobs just to pay for basic necessities.
Some very weird people here.
Nobody cares what a football player’s political opinions are. Nobody cares what your political opinions are. And most importantly, “your wife’s boyfriend” comments? You need some help dude.
Hi Phil
I was hoping Dr. Phil could cure my weirdness…oh well!