Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker has been the subject of criticism for the fact that he has missed five field-goals in 16 attempts this season.
The 5-1 Chiefs haven’t shown Butker the door yet, but they sent him a clear warning ahead of their Week 8 game at the rival Denver Broncos (5-2) this coming Sunday.
Are the Chiefs about to make a big change?
On Wednesday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that the Chiefs have signed five-time All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad.
“Butker remains on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster,” Schefter added.
This is a surprising development for several reasons. During the 2024 campaign, Tucker performed like a kicker past his prime as he made 22-of-30 field goals (73.3 percent) and 60-of-62 PATs (96.8 percent). While he was with the Baltimore Ravens from 2012 to 2024 campaign, he was released in May 2025 following accusations of sexual misconduct made by 16 massage therapists.
Tucker ultimately served a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct code regarding those allegations, and the 36-year-old hasn’t kicked a game since. As noted by Yahoo Sports, he denied the accusations and was never criminally charged.
The Chiefs’ latest loss may have been the breaking point for their relationship with Harrison Butker
As for Butker, he has earned three career Super Bowl rings while kicking for the Chiefs since 2017. However, he missed a pair of field-goal attempts in Kansas City’s 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 25.
“He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Butker following the Week 7 loss, according to Ron Kopp Jr. of Arrowhead Pride. “He’s a little off, so you have to fix it.”
According to Josh Dubow of The Associated Press, Butker’s 15 missed kicks (10 FG, 5 PAT) since the start of the 2025 season are the most in the NFL. Wednesday’s news could lead one to believe that Reid is afraid Butker won’t “fix” whatever ails him, either before or after the Chiefs’ upcoming game at the Broncos.