The Chiefs are fed up with Harrison Butker and sign his replacement: Andy Reid has a new kicker

The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be taking action after Harrison Butker endured another difficult outing, with veteran kicker Justin Tucker reportedly joining the team's practice squad.

The reported move comes just days after Butker missed two field goals during Kansas City's disappointing 20-3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on October 25.

According to the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs have signed Tucker , one of the NFL's most decorated kickers, as they assess their options at a position that has become an unexpected concern.

However, the reported practice-squad addition does not necessarily mean Butker has lost his starting job. Kansas City has yet to establish publicly that Tucker will take over as its first-choice kicker.

Butker's recent struggles have nevertheless put him under greater scrutiny. The 31-year-old has built a reputation as one of the league's most dependable specialists, but his accuracy has declined during the opening stages of the 2026 campaign.

Against Seattle, Butker converted a 50-yard attempt but failed to make two other field goals.

One miss came from 58 yards just before halftime, while another came from 45 yards in the fourth quarter. The latter opportunity could have brought Kansas City closer to making the game competitive, but the kick went wide.

Head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the problem after the defeat, saying: "He's been one of the most consistent kickers in football. He's off a bit, so got to fix it."

Butker also recognised that his preparation had not gone as planned. "Warm-up wasn't great. It's just something that you have to roll with and try to fix it in the game and do the best that you can," he said.

Justin Tucker's arrival could put immediate pressure on Butker

Tucker's reported arrival presents an intriguing opportunity for the Chiefs . Before his departure from Baltimore, he was widely regarded as one of the NFL's elite kickers, combining exceptional accuracy with the ability to convert from long distances.

During his time with the Ravens, Tucker earned seven Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pro honours.

He also helped Baltimore win Super Bowl XLVII and established himself as one of the most accomplished kickers of his generation. His career achievements make him a notable option for a Kansas City team that has traditionally relied on reliable special teams play.

However, Tucker is not arriving without concerns of his own. His final season with Baltimore in 2024 was the least accurate of his professional career, as he converted just 73.3 percent of his field-goal attempts.

Several of his misses came from longer distances, raising questions about his form even before his departure from the organisation.

The Ravens released Tucker in May 2025 after allegations of inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions emerged. Sixteen massage therapists from eight Baltimore-area spas accused him of misconduct, according to reporting cited by the NFL.

Tucker has denied the allegations, describing the claims as false. The NFL announced a 10-game suspension under its personal conduct policy in June 2025.

Tucker subsequently went without an NFL appearance during the 2025 season and has not played in the league since 2024.

A practice-squad opportunity with Kansas City would give him a route back into the NFL, although he would still need to demonstrate that he can perform consistently if the team considers promoting him.

Butker's difficult start creates a decision for Andy Reid

For Butker , the situation represents a significant change after years of dependable performances.

Before this season, he had recorded a field-goal conversion rate of at least 84 percent in every campaign across a nine-year stretch. That consistency helped make him a trusted part of Reid's special teams unit.

The numbers have been less encouraging in 2026. Butker entered the aftermath of the Seattle game having converted 11 of his 16 field-goal attempts, a success rate of 68.75 percent.

His long-distance kicking has been a particular weakness, with only two successful conversions from six attempts of at least 50 yards.

Those figures do not erase Butker's previous achievements, but they give the coaching staff a reason to explore alternatives.

In close games, missed kicks can determine whether a team stays within reach of an opponent or is forced to chase points late in the contest. That risk becomes especially important when an offence is struggling to generate touchdowns.

Kansas City's 20-3 loss to Seattle highlighted that problem. The Chiefs managed only a field goal, and Butker's misses added to an already difficult night for the offence.

While the defeat cannot be blamed on the kicker alone, the performance reinforced the need for the team to address its problems across the roster.

Signing Tucker to the practice squad would give Kansas City another experienced option without automatically requiring the organisation to abandon Butker.

The two kickers could be evaluated as the Chiefs determine whether Butker can recover his previous form or whether a change is necessary.

For now, the reported signing signals that Kansas City is at least exploring its alternatives. Tucker's experience makes him an intriguing candidate, but his lengthy absence from the NFL and his own recent accuracy problems mean that replacing Butker would not be a risk-free decision.

The coming practices should help determine whether Tucker is being considered as genuine competition or simply as additional insurance. Until the Chiefs announce a change, Butker remains the established option, but his place is likely to attract more attention than at any point in recent years.