Harrison Butker's NFL career began with a Monday Night Football clash in October against the Washington Commanders eight years ago. That Week 4 matchup in the 2017 season was not only Butker's NFL debut, but it was also when he missed his first field goal. He was able to bounce back and make his next three field goals. He then proceeded to not miss a field goal or an extra point attempt in the next seven games, cementing himself as the kicker of the present and the future in Kansas City.
Now in his ninth year in the NFL, Butker has hit a rough patch. Drawing more criticism than ever from Chiefs fans, the veteran kicker is trying to re-prove himself as still the man for the job. If his struggles continue in Week 8, another MNF game at home against the Commanders could signal the end for Butker.
Harrison Butker's Career Will Come Full Circle in Week 8
Butker had his first game of the season without a miss in Week 7 against the Raiders, going 1/1 in field goals and 4/4 in extra points. In the previous six games, however, Butker had missed three FGs and three XPs. Even with his success in the last game, he is in the midst of his worst kicking season: 80% on his field goal attempts is the second-worst mark of his career, and 85.7% on his XP attempts is the worst of his career.
Even more frustrating than his accuracy, however, was the kickoff blunder he had against the Jaguars, where he wasn't able to keep the ball in bounds on a key kickoff late, giving Jacksonville excellent field position for the game-winning drive.
The 30-year-old kicker has certainly earned enough trust with the organization and the coaching staff over the years that it's understandable that the Chiefs are choosing to stick with him. As one of the best kickers in franchise history, Butker has built credit to sustain poor form.
At the same time, kicking is a "what have you done for me lately" job perhaps more than any other in the league. Teams have to make decisions based on small samples since one mistake can alter the entire course of a game or a season. If Butker continues to miss field goals, his credit within the organization will surely run out. If those mistakes come against the Commanders with the Chiefs' bye week right around the corner, they may be forced to make a big change for the second half of the season.