When Harrison Butker was placed on the injured reserve list last Thursday, the Chiefs didn’t have to look further than their AFC rival Jets’ practice squad for a replacement. Spencer Shrader came in and fit like a glove, so much so that special teams coordinator Dave Toub revealed, “He hit a couple of 65-yarders at practice… In fact, we had to move him back when we first started out hitting extra points because he was hitting them over the net. We were losing footballs!” Well, the Chiefs Kingdom got proof of that very strength right from the very first drive of the Sunday game against the Panthers!

Hitting 65-yard field goals is no easy feat. And Shrader seemed to be doing those with ease in practice. Add the adrenaline and excitement of a real game to the mix? You’ve got a pumped-up 25-year-old who managed to target an unsuspecting official! Yes, that’s right! As Kansas City marched down the field on the opening drive and scored a touchdown, Shrader sent an extra-point kick flying through the posts and into the net, only to land on field judge Dyrol Prioleau’s head. That made for a good chuckle for many… and Spencer was just getting started.

While the Bills game last weekend may not have gone the Chiefs’ way, with the franchise registering its first loss in 2024, they came back with a vengeance against the Panthers. Going into the fourth quarter, it seemed like Patrick Mahomes & Co. would cruise to a 10-1 season record, but with less than 2 minutes left to play, the Panthers equalized the game at 27-27. But an offensive drive punctuated by a staggering 33-yard scramble by Mahomes set the scene for a thrilling end.

Spencer Shrader stepped up to the 31-yard line with ice in his veins. Setting up the kick, he took a few steps back, came running, and sent the ball flying through the goal. Just like that, in only his second game with the Super Bowl winners, he got a “moment to remember” (as he called it) with his game-winning field goal. And just like that, he also made his way into the hearts of the Chiefs Kingdom as the perfect replacement for Harrison Butker. After all, he’s been flawless for Kansas City.

3-for-3 in field goal attempts and 6-for-6 in extra point attempts. But on Monday morning, everyone was in for a rude awakening. Chiefs Talk reported, “Spencer Shrader pulled his hamstring and is expected to be OUT vs. the Raiders this Friday.” It looks like the newly signed placekicker flew too close to the sun with his strong kicks. Shrader seemingly confirmed the news when a fan commented on one of his Instagram posts from the Panthers game.

The fan wrote, “I’m sad you won’t be able to play next game, but I wish the best recovery.” Shrader liked this comment and seemingly confirmed this further with his Instagram story. Quoting Proverbs 3:5-6 from the Bible, he wrote, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” If the 25-year-old is, in fact, on injured reserve, who will the Chiefs turn to against the Raiders?

Harrison Butker shared an update on his recovery last week, tweeting, “Surgery ͏was͏ a success!” He’s expected to be out for at least the next couple of weeks. In both his and Shrader’s absence, Chiefs Talk reported that “former Chiefs kicker Matthew Wright is set to be signed and be on kicking duties for the Chiefs for at least Friday’s game.” The placekicker has played for the Chiefs in two earlier stints.

First, he joined the team in September 2022 and signed onto the practice squad. After being elevated to the active roster and playing a game, he was moved back to the practice squad. But before Kansas City took on the Raiders in Week 5 that season, he joined the active roster again and, interestingly, broke the then-franchise record for longest field goal (his was 59 yards). A month later, he left the team to join the Steelers but came back before yet another Raiders game.

This was in January 2023, when he was signed onto the practice squad. While Andy Reid elevated him to the active roster before the game, Wright was inactive for the Week 18 matchup and left the team less than a month later. This time around, if the deal does happen, the 28-year-old will go up against the Raiders in Chiefs colors once again!

That said, the news about Spencer Shrader’s injury is quite unfortunate because he proved that he’s the reliable guy for the Chiefs after scoring the game-winning point against the Panthers. While Shrader’s injury doesn’t seem that bad, and he might return after a game or two, the question is: Will the Chiefs need him after that?

The Chiefs found their Mr. Reliable in Spencer Shrader until…

Well, it’s a shame that he injured his hamstring because he was the backup to Harrison Butker. What do you even do when your backup gets injured? But let’s talk about the SNF game for a minute here. How did the Chiefs even allow a team like the Panthers to get so close to them? That’s beyond a lot of people who didn’t expect Bryce Young to pierce Steve Spagnulo’s defense like that.

The score was tied to 27 with 2 seconds left in the quarter after Patrick Mahomes got the offense closer to the 31-yard line to kick the field goal. Sure enough, Shrader made it happen, and the Chiefs won 30-27 on the road. The kicker knew he had the opportunity of a lifetime when he joined the Chiefs and expressed his gratitude to Andy Reid’s team after the game.

“When you join an organization like the Chiefs, there’s a championship culture, and there’s a standard to uphold,” Shrader said. “I wanted to come in and do my best for the team as long as I’m here.”

With this win, the 10-1 Chiefs will host the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead in a rivalry that dates back to 1960. It’s going to be brutal, and all we want to see is that classic Maxx Crosby-Patrick Mahomes drama. Hopefully, the KC team finds a decent kicker in time.