More help is on the way for the Kansas City Chiefs; the two-time defending Super Bowl champions have opened the 21-day practice window for kicker Harrison Butker to return from injured reserve, according to Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest on December 11.
The Chiefs placed Butker on IR on November 14. While on IR, Butker had surgery to trim the meniscus in his left knee, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Butker was never expected to be sidelined longer than the four weeks he was required to stay on IR, so being activated in Week 15 — which is the first week he was eligible to return from IR — falls in line with his original timeline.
Matthew Wright, who was the latest kicker to replace Butker in Kansas City’s lineup, filled in admirably over the last two games. He made 8-of-9 field goal attempts over that timeframe as well as 2-of-2 PATs.
Thanks to his efforts against the divisional-rival Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football (4-0f-4 field goal attempts, 1-0f-1 PATs), Wright was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 15.
Butker, who signed a four-year, $25.6 million extension with the Chiefs this offseason, could return to the starting lineup as soon as Sunday, when Kansas City travels to face the Cleveland Browns.
Matthew Wright at Forefront of ‘Doing for the Division’
Wright, who has played in a total of three games for the Chiefs this season, was the hero for Kansas City in Week 15 in what was a very dramatic finish.
The Chiefs had the final possession in Week 15 against the Chargers and gave Wright an opportunity to kick a 31-yard field goal with one second left in the game and trailing by one point. Wright made the field goal but hit the left upright before doing so, which had everyone in Arrowhead Stadium holding their breath until the officials held their arms up to show the field goal was good.
Because the field goal won the game and subsequently the division for the Chiefs, NBC Sports commentator Mike Tirico coined that moment the “doink for the division” while it was happening in realtime.
Speaking to the media on Monday, December 9, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid noted Wright’s confidence, which he believes helped him thrive in a big moment.
“Yeah, I think he’s (Matthew Wright) got a quiet confidence about him,” Reid explained.”I think he realizes that he’s a legitimate kicker, at least that’s the persona that he presents to everybody. I think all [of] the guys on the team have confidence in him. We’re not sitting there going, ‘Hey listen, we have some guy that’s never done this before and doesn’t have a track record with us.’ He comes in and he just goes, ‘Okay, line me up and let’s go.”
X Users Reacted to Harrison Butker Update
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to Derrick’s update on Butker.
“I appreciate Spencer [Shrader] & Matthew for their services, filling in very well for Butker. However, I will be happy to not be holding my breath every time we attempt a FG or XP! Clutchker is back!” one person wrote.
“Would prefer they take this one slow,” another person wrote. “Wright and Shrader have filled in nicely as anticipated, but I’d prefer we have a 100% Butker for playoffs.”
