Why this game-winner felt different for Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Butker’s routine produced the 27-yard game-winner that halted a two-game skid.
- His calm focus and breathing techniques steadied him during the overtime kick.
- Missed kick would have shifted momentum to Indianapolis and imperiled Chiefs’ playoffs.
Harrison Butker tries to make every field goal or extra point attempt feel the same.
This even-keeled approach helps him remain poised, especially in a pressure situation like the one he faced on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Chiefs placekicker had already booted four field goals, supplying most of Kansas City’s scoring. But much more was riding on his fifth attempt.
Two minutes remained in overtime. The Chiefs had clawed back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit, and now the game was tied at 20. A 27-yard attempt would not only determine whether the Chiefs would end a two-game losing streak, but perhaps save their playoff hopes.
The kick was perfect. Butker had his game-winner, and a sigh of relief. The Chiefs won 23-20.
“I want every kick to be the same,” he said. “But I was standing there thinking, ‘Man, my heart rate was pumping.’”
Same for every Chiefs fan who may look back on this AFC showdown as a turning point in the 2025 season. Had Butker missed that final kick, the Colts would have taken over with a chance at a game-winning drive.
“All I was focused on was getting my heart rate down,” Butker said. “You’ve had success earlier in the game and your heart rate hasn’t been that high. For the big one that you need, you definitely try to get it down.”
The Colts called a timeout before the snap from long-snapper James Winchester to holder Matt Araiza. But Butker said that worked in his favor.
“I think it helped me slow the heart rate down,” Butker said.
Butker came up big all day, supplying the points when multiple KC drives stalled. He had knocked thought field goals from 28, 48 and 22 yards when he was summoned to send the game to overtime with a 25-yarder after the Chiefs had reached the Indy 2-yard line in the final minute.
The Colts won the coin-toss in overtime and elected to take the ball. The Chiefs’ defense rose to the occasion and held Indianapolis without a first down for the fourth straight possession.
Kansas City took over at its 10 and drove to the 9 to set up the game-winner on second down.
Butker had made his 12th straight field goal dating to a Week 4 miss against the Baltimore Ravens. He got off to a rough start this season, missing a field goal or an extra point in the Chiefs’ first four games, and five of their first six.
The bad boots seem to be behind him now, though, and Butker picked a perfect time to produce his first perfect field goal game since 2023.
“Every kick is a big kick,” Butker said.
This one seemed bigger than any to date this season.
This story was originally published November 23, 2025 at 5:41 PM.