Chiefs’ Harrison Butker still ‘not at 100%’ following early-season ankle injury
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker says he’s not fully healed from an ankle injury he suffered in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
“I’m not at 100%, no,” Butker said in front of his locker on Wednesday. “I mean, if I was at 100%, I’d be doing full steps on my kickoffs or going back to the 10 yards and everything.”
Butker’s kicking struggles were a significant storyline in the Chiefs’ 20-17 overtime victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night, as he missed an extra point and also went 1-for-2 on field goals, pushing a 47-yard attempt wide right in the third quarter.
“I wasn’t the happiest with the warmup and the kicks at halftime. Just keep trying to get better,” Butker said. “But as a kicker, you’ve got to have the ball start where you want it to. Otherwise, you’re trusting it but you just don’t know where that ball’s gonna go.”
Butker came through in overtime, making a 28-yard field goal that provided the game-winning points.
His latest misses, though, have only continued a season-long trend for KC, which hasn’t been nearly as successful in the kicking game as its opponents.
The Chiefs’ three kickers this year (Butker, Matt Ammendola, Matthew Wright) have combined to make 11 of 16 field goals (69%) and 24 of 27 extra points (89%). Meanwhile, KC is the only NFL team that has had opponents make every kick against it; Chiefs foes have gone 12-for-12 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra points.
Butker attributed Sunday’s errant kicks more to the physical part of the game than the mental part.
“I’ve just got to make sure the ball starts where I want it to,” Butker said. “I think every week, I’ve gotten better in practice, but you’ve got to keep improving.”
Butker injured himself in the opening week after slipping on the turf at State Farm Stadium in Arizona during a kickoff. He sat out four weeks before returning during the Chiefs’ Week 6 home game against Buffalo.
Coach Andy Reid remained confident in Butker when asked about him after the game and Monday, saying the kicker battled through a tough night.
“I know ‘But’ (Harrison Butker) had a couple things that were hiccups there,” Reid said, “but he’ll work through that and get it cleaned up.”
Since coming back, Butker has made 4 of 7 field goals and 8 of 9 extra points. The sixth-year Chief said he’s continuing to add mobility and flexibility to his ankle.
“I’m good enough to be out there. I’m good enough to have the strength, right? That’s not an issue, but my mind tells my body to do certain things, and it’s just not happening every single time,” Butker said. “It’s that consistency aspect, not the power, the ability to go out there and do it. It’s just the consistency aspect. That’s where I got to get better at.”
Butker remained optimistic when asked if he believed a return to full strength was possible this season.
“I would hope that it will continue to keep getting better. I mean, it has,” Butker said. “Every week, it’s gotten better; it feels better after every game. I hope I’ll be at 100% soon.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 4:58 PM.
