The Monday Night Football loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5 was easily the most frustrating loss of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs. A comedy of errors, undisciplined plays, and an overall lack of execution gave the Chiefs their third loss of the season. Near the top of the list of factors to blame is veteran kicker Harrison Butker.
In a game where he wasn't relied on to kick any field goals, Butker still somehow found a way to cost the Chiefs the game. With less than two minutes remaining and the Chiefs leading by four, Butker kicked the kickoff out of bounds for a penalty and gave the Jaguars excellent field position at 40. From there, it didn't take long for Trevor Lawrence to score the game-winning touchdown.
Chiefs Fans Are Losing Their Patience with Harrison Butker
Butker is not only one of the most experienced kickers in the league, but he is also the highest-paid one. A mistake that simple so late in the game is simply inexcusable, especially considering how much the 30-year-old has been struggling all season to begin with.
The nine-year veteran has already missed two extra points this season, and is 10-of-13 on his field goal attempts. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub addressed these concerns earlier in the week, saying that they will keep working with Butker to "get more consistency." Yet, the only consistent thing the Chiefs are getting from Butker is misses, mistakes, and frustration.
If this were any other kicker not named Harrison Butker, the Chiefs would have already moved on from him. Perhaps it's understandable that the team thought Butker gave them the best chance to win, considering he remains the most accurate field goal kicker in franchise history. Yet, kicking is such a mental endeavor, and the sample sizes are so small that it, perhaps unfairly, becomes a "what have you done for me lately?" situation relatively quickly.
One quick glance at social media easily highlights how Chiefs fans feel about Butker. There is a significant part of the fanbase that wants Butker released. What complicates matters is his contract. Butker is only in the first year of the four-year, $25.6 million extension he signed in August 2024. The Chiefs simply can't afford to have a dead cap hit of $10.9 million on their books by releasing any kicker, regardless of how disappointing they have been.
Instead, a rare kicker trade involving Butker could be a possibility. At the bare minimum, the Chiefs should bring in competition this week and seriously consider benching Butker in Week 6 against the Lions.