Chiefs mulling major Harrison Butker change for 2024 season

The Chiefs believe Harrison Butker might be too valuable as a field-goal kicker to run the risk of him getting hurt on kickoffs.

Thursday, Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub told reporters that in light of the changes coming to NFL kickoffs, where by design kickers will be more likely to encounter returners, the team wants to keep Butker out of harm’s way.

“I like to have somebody that is able to make a tackle. Butker’s able to make a tackle, but I really don’t want him making tackles all year long,” Toub said.

“If you watch the XFL, we watched every play, I bet kickers were involved in at least 25-40 percent of the tackles. We don’t want Butker in that situation.”

Toub mentioned that there would still be some times where it would make sense to use Butker on kickoffs.

“He will be a kicker [on some kickoffs],” Toub continued.

https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1796249013563359425

“We’ll use him in certain situations. He’s got a lot of ability to move the ball [in different directions] whereas those other guys may not be as apt to do that. He can still kick a touchback if we need it, but when you do that the other team gets the ball on the 30 now instead of the 25.”

Butker, 28, made 33 of 35 field-goal attempts last season and was a perfect 11-for-11 in the playoffs.

He was 4-for-4 in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the 49ers, including a game-tying field goal with three seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Butker has been in the news this month after giving a controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College in which he promoted the idea of wives tending to their children and homes as opposed to pursuing careers.