It’s that time of the year when the Kansas City Chiefs head to the Highmark Stadium to play against the Buffalo Bills. But there’s one small hiccup. Harrison Butker is injured, and the Chiefs are in a panic. So much so, that they reached out to the New York Jets to find a new kicker, who apparently doesn’t have a lot of experience.
We don’t really know what happened to Butker, but the former NFL punter, Drew Butler, has an idea of what’s going on with the Chiefs kicker. Apparently, Butker’s kicking technique became his worst enemy and Drew Butler took to X and pointed out that one thing that led to Butker’s downfall.
In his post on X, Butler wrote, “Harrison Butker has collapsed on his left knee following through EVERY kick this season.” The video shows Butker kicking the ball falling to his left and ultimately balancing himself on his left knee. For the former NFL punter, that is the huge flaw in the Chiefs kicker’s technique.
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Harrison Butker has collapsed on his left knee following through EVERY kick this season.
It is a change in his technique that really caught my attention, and unfortunately it’s not surprising his left knee needs a meniscus procedure.
Hope he gets healthy. https://t.co/DsSVrKmFuz pic.twitter.com/1szLcRzQea
— Drew Butler (@DrewButler) November 14, 2024
Per Adam Teicher of ESPN, Butker practiced on Thursday, but in a limited capacity. It’s not clear how he tore his meniscus. However, the back-to-back Super Bowl-winning team placed him on the IR on Thursday. He is slated to miss at least 4 weeks this season as he prepares to undergo an “arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.”
After watching the video Butler thought “It is a change in his technique that really caught my attention, and unfortunately, it’s not surprising his left knee needs a meniscus procedure.” Apparently, Butker doesn’t have a history of any major injuries in the past. However, the Chiefs kicker bouncing back after 4 weeks of having surgery doesn’t seem plausible at all.
What’s your perspective on:
Can Spencer Shrader step up and fill Butker's shoes, or will the Chiefs' streak be in jeopardy?
Have an interesting take?
A torn meniscus isn’t a light injury that you can fix by just sleeping it off. It really does feel like Butker has to do something about his kicking technique. It looked harmless and quirky until he seriously hurt himself. Maybe Andy Reid and the special teams coaches will work on fixing it later down the line.
Butker completed 18 of the 20 FGs that he’s attempted this year (90%). He capitalized on 95.5% on extra point opportunities. The Buffalo Bills are one of those teams that can put an end to the Chiefs’ 9-0 streak. Josh Allen is among a few quarterbacks in the league, along with Lamar Jackson, who can give serious competition to Patrick Mahomes.
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So, the KC team needs a kicker for sure. And it’s not a mystery that they have a habit of signing lesser-known players and turning them into stars. Will it stand true for the former Jets kicker?
Who will replace Harrison Butker?
Now that Butker is on IR, the KC Chiefs signed Spencer Shrader to their 53-man roster. But here’s the problem. Shrader has been bouncing around a lot this year. First, the rookie was with the Colts, where he played one game. Then he went to the New York Jets (participated in one game) and now he’s with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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He literally has no stats to show for. But in a sense, landing in the Kansas City Chiefs is a dream for any player in the NFL. For Spencer Shrader, this could be a start for something special. Of course, he might not replace Butker permanently. But he has a chance to make a name for himself in the upcoming games. For now, he has to focus on helping the Chiefs one-up the Bills in this long-standing rivalry.
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Debate
Can Spencer Shrader step up and fill Butker's shoes, or will the Chiefs' streak be in jeopardy?