Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker entered Week 8 against the Denver Broncos needing a clean sheet on the scoreboard. He missed two kicks during the Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, which sparked the unpopular decision to add former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to the practice squad.

Butker was doing well through the first three quarters against Denver. Then the fourth quarter arrived, and the Chiefs’ kicking problem resurfaced at the worst possible time. This miss, however, isn’t all on Butker. The decision to go for it deserves a closer look.

How a 48-yard attempt became a 54-yard attempt for Harrison Butker

With about two and a half minutes remaining, Kansas City led Denver by three points. The Chiefs drove down to the Broncos’ 30-yard line and faced a third-and-2. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes dropped back to pass but took a sack for a 6-yard loss. That turned what would have been a 48-yard field goal attempt into a 54-yard try.

After the game, Mahomes admitted he couldn’t take a sack in that situation. But what happened next set Butker up to fail. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid opted to kick the field goal. Butker pulled it to the right, his third missed kick in the past two weeks.

Conditions had worsened by that point. The field was wet, and it was raining. Still, Butker said after the game that the weather didn’t impact him. He called it a “bad miss” and took full accountability.

Andy Reid’s comments should concern Chiefs fans

Speaking to reporters after the game, Reid didn’t provide much insight into his decision. However, it’s the last part of his explanation that should really concern fans.

“Again, those are hindsight,” Reid said of Butker’s miss. “I mean, it ended up being what it was, but you know, it’s within Harrison’s range.”

The truth is that a 54-yard field goal is not in Butker’s range right now. His struggles this season have come from distance, specifically on attempts beyond the 45-yard mark. Even if you set the 2026 NFL season aside, the longer view isn’t much kinder. Since the start of the 2024 NFL season, Butker has made just 8-of-19 kicks from beyond 50 yards. That’s just 42.1% of his kicks from beyond the 50-yard mark.

The thinking behind the call is easy to see. If Butker sinks a 54-yarder in that moment, he gains a whole lot of confidence, and suddenly his kicking woes for the 2026 season are in the past. Unfortunately, that was a gamble, and the odds weren’t in the Chiefs’ favor. That’s something that Chiefs statistical analysis coordinator Mike Frazier typically communicates, either ahead of the game or in the moment.

Butker is likely to pay the price for that decision. Chiefs fans could pay it, too.

What comes next for Harrison Butker and the Chiefs

Justin Tucker, who shouldn’t get another opportunity to kick in the NFL, given the allegations against him, is sitting on the practice squad. If Kansas City makes a change, fans will have to watch him take kicks for their team. The organization will be spitting in the face of a huge part of the fanbase, even if it yields better on-field results.

As for Butker, his future is up in the air. He was on thin ice entering the week. After this miss, it feels as if the Chiefs will have to go in a different direction at kicker. Instead of hunting for an opportunity to rebuild Butker’s confidence with a low-percentage kick, the Chiefs should have stayed focused on the high-percentage plays that could’ve helped them win this game.