Death, taxes, and Harrison Butker's kicks. That used to be the status quo for the Kansas City Chiefs for most of the controversial kicker's career in Missouri. But he hasn't been as sharp over the past couple of seasons.
Butker struggled to be at his best in 2025. He missed five of his 38 field goal attempts and four of his 35 PATs. He had missed six kicks in the previous campaign (four FGAs and 2 PATs), so it raised questions about whether this was the end of the line for him.
That's why he's had to do as much mental as physical work to get back to his former level. Speaking at minicamp, the veteran kicker admitted that he had to grind to get out of a dark place, and he's focusing on the little things this offseason.
Harrison Butker is looking to be his old self for the Chiefs
“I think when you start the season off with misses, your back is kind of against the wall,” Butker said. “Mentally, it kind of takes a toll on you. I climbed out of it, I finished the season above the middle of the pack. Obviously, you don’t even want to be there. You don’t want to start out the season missing as much. I think the focus is just to have a great training camp and be very competitive with myself.”
Butker missed three of his eight attempts from 50+ yards last season, and two of his attempts between 40 and 49 yards. He did nail a 59-yarder, three yards shy of his personal best of 62 yards, so the range is still there.
The mental aspect of kicking is nearly as important as the physical one. Butker got off to a slow start to the season, missing at least one kick in five of his first six games, including a field goal in three straight weeks. Then, he bounced back in the second half of the season, missing just two field goal attempts after Week 5.
Clearly, that might also have plenty to do with his injured knee, which shouldn't be an issue going forward. Finally, Butker feels fully healthy, and re-aggravating the injury won't be on the back of his mind when he takes the field in 2026:
"Last year a big focus was not falling down on that knee, and last year I didn't really do it much, so this offseason I haven't had to focus on that at all," Butker said (h/t Sports Radio 819 WHB).
That said, as much as the Chiefs hope he can return to top form, they can't give him a long leash again this season. Butker's been a pivotal part of this team's success for years, but they can't afford to get sentimental in a make-or-break year. He had a -0.8965 Kick Value Added (KVA) in 2025, ranking 26th among 43 qualified players, and that's unacceptable for a kicker making nearly $6 million a year.
The Chiefs can actually save a few million dollars by cutting him next offseason, according to Over The Cap. So, as much as he's earned the benefit of the doubt and another opportunity, he should be on thin ice entering the 2026 season.
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