The Kansas City Chiefs had one of their best performances of the season in Week 6. They made a statement against the Detroit Lions by pulling away in the second half without the services of their starting left tackle, their best wide receiver, and despite Harrison Butker.
Once a star, the Chiefs' placekicker has been more of a liability this season. He's missing routine kicks, and the fans may have reached a breaking point with him. Head coach Andy Reid, however, still has the veteran's back.
Andy Reid Supports Harrison Butker After Another Bad Game
"I'm a big Harrison Butker fan," Reid said, per Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. "I know how that thing goes. The first one, he didn't hit very good, the PAT, then he came back strong and finished the rest of the night. We're all human."
Butker has done plenty for this team, having been part of the roster since 2017. However, the NFL is a business first and foremost, and the Chiefs can't keep him around just for old time's sake. He needs to deliver, or they might be forced to act, especially with multiple options available.
The veteran kicker missed an extra point following the first touchdown of the game. That led to the Chiefs electing to unsuccessfully go for it on 4th-and-1 on their next possession, despite being well within Butker's range. Even though the Chiefs still managed to put up 30 points, and Butker knocked through a 33-yard field goal, it seems like he's making mistakes every week. He's up to three missed field goals and three missed extra points this season, and that clearly is playing into the team's decision-making at crucial moments.
In addition to his continued struggles with field goals and extra points, Butker may have cost Kansas City a win in Week 5, as he sent a kickoff out of bounds to set up the Jacksonville Jaguars at their own 40-yard line on their final possession of the contest. Trevor Lawrence and the offense marched down the field to score the game-winning touchdown after that.
Teams with Super Bowl aspirations, such as the Chiefs, must be successful in all three aspects of the game. Kansas City can't afford to be held back by its kicker.
Butker still clearly has plenty of fans in the building, including his head coach, which means Reid will likely give Butker a longer leash than others would if they were in the same situation. Should these issues continue, Reid must finally realize that it's time to move on from the veteran kicker.
Hopefully, though, Butker will reward Reid's patience, get back to his old ways, and stop being a talking point after every game.