Andy Reid prepares for potential ego clash while clarifying Harrison Butker’s status
The Chiefs added Justin Tucker to push Harrison Butker, but Andy Reid made it clear who still owns the job in Kansas City.
The Kansas City Chiefs decided it was time to increase the competition for Harrison Butker .
After the problems the kicker has been dealing with since last season, Kansas City added veteran Justin Tucker to its practice squad. The arrival of one of the most successful kickers of the past decade has raised questions about Butker’s future, as he is going through the most difficult stretch of his career.
Andy Reid backs Harrison Butker
During his Wednesday press conference, coach Andy Reid said that Butker fully understood the team’s decision and reiterated that he maintains full confidence in him.
“We love Harrison,” Reid said. “He’s one of my favorite guys. Sometimes things don’t go quite the way you want them, and you work on that. He understands the business and how it works. We had a practice squad position open, so for security we brought him (Tucker) in and put him in that spot. Butker gets it. He knows that it’s part of this business. He’s struggled a little bit, and he gets that he needs to pick it up.”
The numbers reflect the kicker’s difficult moment. This season he has missed five field goals and one extra point. Combining last season, he has accumulated 15 missed kicks between field goals and extra point s, the highest total of any NFL kicker during that period.
Butker will remain the starting kicker
Reid was also asked whether Tucker’s addition marked the start of an immediate competition for the starting job.
“Butker will get most of the reps this week,” Reid said. “He’ll take those and we’ll just see where it goes. Kind of fluid.”
The coach even ruled out the possibility of both kickers being activated for the same game and confirmed that Butker will handle the punts and field goals against the Denver Broncos .
“I haven’t seen that scenario, no,” Reid said. “Harrison will probably go this week.”
Finally, Reid clarified that Butker’s poor performance is not related to a physical injury, but rather to a technical issue.
“Right now his technique’s off a bit,” Reid said. “It’s not as consistent as he wants it. Things happen.”
