The Kansas City Chiefs have arguably the best kicker in the league in Harrison Butker. To say the veteran has ice in his veins in the biggest moments is an understatement. Butker has proven that the moment is never going to be too big, and he is at his best when the lights are brightest. With this in mind, the Chiefs have had little concern with their emergency kicker situation. The veteran has been consistently durable, and what time he has missed, the franchise has had no issue finding another answer.
However, it was noteworthy that Justin Reid was the answer in the few moments the Chiefs have needed to turn to an emergency option. The star safety being able to fill this role helps further illustrate his incredible value. Something the franchise will clearly miss now that the veteran has cashed in, landing with the New Orleans Saints in the 2025 offseason.
This forced the Chiefs to find a new emergency option, turning to punter Matt Araiza as the answer. It is the expected option despite the obvious difference in duties. Having your punter as the emergency kicker is incredibly common and seems to be the expectation that the Kansas City punter held going into the 2024 season.
Chiefs P Matt Araiza on being the backup kicker: "Now with J. Reid gone, it should be me. I think it should've been me last year with my experience. The biggest thing is finding a holder who can hold lefty. . ."
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) August 18, 2025
Chiefs Punter Matt Araiza Becomes Kansas City's Emergency Kicker
The punter commented on this making it clear he has belief in his ability in a pinch. It seemed that the veteran was offended by the Chiefs not asking him to be the answer in the first place. In some ways this is fair for a specialist who already has an extremely limited role. Araiza wants to establish his value in every possible avenue.
""Now with J. Reid gone, it should be me. I think it should've been me last year with my experience. The biggest thing is finding a holder who can hold lefty. . .""Matt Araiza
Araiza did note that the one hurdle to his backing up Butker was finding someone who could hold lefty. This does make sense considering how specialized the position remains and the pressure on the snap and hold. Still, the punter has an obvious confidence and belief that it should be his number called if Butker were to go down at any point.
This is a more than fair take and seems to be the conclusion the Chiefs have reached after the loss of Reid. Still, it is a story to keep an eye on in case Butker were to miss time in the 2025 season.