Tag: Harrison Butker

Chiefs K Harrison Butker aims for consistency through visualization in 2021

#Chiefs K Harrison Butker had a down year in 2020, but he’s entering 2021 with a fresh outlook that he hopes will improve his consistency. | from @TheJohnDillon

Coming off a down season in his NFL career, Harrison Butker is seeking improvement wherever possible to give Kansas City an edge.

The special teams group, headed up by coordinator Dave Toub, has been a crucial part of the Chiefs’ rise to consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Butker has served in a starring role for the unit over the past four seasons.

Having converted all but two of his field-goal attempts in the regular season last year, tangible gains on the stat sheet could be hard to come by. An area he’s seeking to improve upon is consistency, particularly when it comes to PATs. In 2020, Butker missed a career-high of six PATs on the season with the lowest extra point percentage of his career (88.9%).

When Butker addressed the media at training camp, he made it clear that his focus in camp so far has been on maintaining the right mindset to stay unflinchingly consistent. When asked about his mental game, Butker emphasized the importance of having everything put together in his head.

“So much of kicking is a mindset,” Butker told reporters on Tuesday. “There’s a lot of kickers sitting on the couch that are better ball-strikers than me . . . but for whatever reason, they weren’t able to put it together. If you’re not able to put it together in those big pressure moments, then you’re probably not going to make it at the highest level, playing in the NFL.”

The difference between good and great kickers is the ability to convert in clutch moments, and it’s in that part of his game that Butker hopes to build on his already strong resume.

“For me, visualization is huge,” Butker explained. “Just going to the spot, imagining the wind’s going this direction. How would I want the holder to hold it? Where would I be aiming? Making sure that my breathing is slowed down. Kind of all those things that I guess are separate from the physical realm. . .”

There’s no question Butker has a million-dollar leg, and with his veteran’s mentality as a mainstay for the Chiefs, the sky remains the limit for Kansas City kicker.

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7 Chiefs who could make their first Pro Bowl in 2021

A look at 7 #Chiefs players with the best chance of making their first Pro Bowl in 2021.

The Kansas City Chiefs have their eyes on a bigger prize, but the Pro Bowl is always a nice consolation, with a lasting impact on player’s individual legacies. The Chiefs had two players earn first-time Pro Bowl selections in 2020, with DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark being selected for the game. Of course, they both appeared in Super Bowl LV instead and didn’t play in the annual all-star game.

If the Chiefs want to get to Super Bowl LVI, they’ll need some Pro Bowl-caliber performances out of their players during the upcoming season. Here are the seven Chiefs with the best chance at making their first Pro Bowl in 2021:

Super Bowl LV: 5 players with connections to the Panthers

Here are a few names that might sound familiar in tonight’s game.

The Carolina Panthers may not be in the Super Bowl this year, but a few former players are taking the field today.

Here are a few names that might sound familiar in tonight’s game.

Chiefs LT Mike Remmers

Remmers is a name many Carolina fans are familiar with for bad reasons. Remmers played 100% of the team’s offensive snaps in their incredible 15-1 regular season that led to the Super Bowl run, but his year ended on a sour note. In Super Bowl 50, the Broncos chose to exploit a favorable Von Miller matchup against Remmers, which quickly turned into a disaster. Remmers gave up three sacks, two strip-sack fumbles and seven additional quarterback pressures on Cam Newton. He has turned things around, though. Remmers had had the best season of his career with the Chiefs, allowing zero sacks in 2020.

Chiefs K Harrison Butker

In 2017, the Panthers selected Georgia Tech kicker Harrison Butker with their seventh-round pick, bringing in training camp competition for then-starter Graham Gano. They both performed well in camp and Carolina decided to keep both on their 53-man roster before eventually parting ways with Butker in hopes of stashing him on their practice squad. However, Butker was signed by the Chiefs later that season and quickly became one of the league’s top kickers. Butker has never fallen below 88% on field goals in his career, turning in a career-high 92.6% this season.

Chiefs CB Bashaud Breeland

Breeland came very close to joining Carolina back in 2018. That season, Breeland had agreed to join the Panthers on a three-year deal worth $24 million, but a foot infection prevented him from passing his physical, and the deal never went through. Breeland eventually signed with Kansas City, where he’s become an important starter for a loaded secondary.

Bucs CB Ross Cockrell

Cockrell won’t start for Tampa, but he was once a starting cornerback for the Panthers. In 2018, the Panthers signed the former Giants DB to a two-year, $6.8 million contract just days after their deal with Breeland fell through. Cockrell performed well in his two seasons with the Panthers and ranked among the top-five defensive backs in the league in yards per target allowed. He eventually landed on the Bucs’ practice squad and is now a backup behind their starting corners.

Bucs RB/KR Kenjon Barner

Barner contributed as a kick returner for Carolina during his two brief stints with the team in 2013 and again in 2018. The first was especially brief, as the rookie running back returned two kicks and totaled six carries on the season. In 2018 Barner brought back nine kicks for 220 yards. He is currently on the Bucs’ injured reserve list, but head coach Bruce Arians said the team will make a “late call” on his availability for the Super Bowl.

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Dave Toub says Chiefs fixed ‘operational glitch’ causing Harrison Butker’s missed kicks

The Kansas City Chiefs had their own “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” moment in the divisional round.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s troubles with extra points returned during the AFC’s divisional round, but this time it was a different issue causing the problem.

During the regular season, Butker missed a total of six PATs but hadn’t missed once since Week 9. Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub blamed those issues on the weather in some cases or even Butker “toeing the ball.” This time around they’ve identified the issue as an “operational glitch.”

“Had nothing with what happened earlier,” Toub told reporters on Thursday. “It was an operational glitch that we had with the rotation of the ball; the laces came down in a weird spot. Not one time all year did that happen or in practice for that matter and it happened twice and both of those kicks we rotated a different way. It was just an operational glitch that we cleaned it up, he had a great week of practice and he was on point this week so we’re good.”

Toub shared a great amount of detail about why this kick failed and how they’ve gone about correcting it in this particular situation.

“(James) Winchester is so good as a snapper, he can count the rotations with his snap where the laces never appear for him for the hold, but in this case the laces appeared,” Toub explained. “Now there was a combination with the weather and a little bit short, whatever we did there, we figured it out this week. The laces showed up to where they were facing (Harrison) Butker and then Tommy (Townsend) has to deal with getting them out of the way which is a matter of which way we’re going to rotate the ball so rotated to where Butker could see the laces for a longer period of time. That’s not what we want to do so we want to rotate it the opposite way, so it goes away. I didn’t want to get real technical with it, but I guess you forced me to, but that’s really what it is. Like I said, it’s just an operational thing that we got ironed out and fixed.”

In layman’s terms, the laces were the wrong spot when the ball got to the holder, then the holder spun the ball the long way to account for it. If you’ve ever seen the film “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” you know that kickers always want the laces facing out and away from them.

Butker explained why it’s important, specifically for him, to have the laces in the right spot. But he also shouldered the blame as well because he’s trained for the ways that he can adjust to overcome issues with the laces and otherwise.

“So every kicker is different, but for me I’m looking at the ground, the spot basically where the holders going to put the ball and then once the ball’s down my eyes normally raise up to look at the sweet spot of the ball so in a perfect world that ball is still so I can just hone in on the sweet spot and swing away,” Butker said on Thursday. “If the laces are a little bit off, then the ball’s going to be moving, but I’ve been very fortunate to have such a great operation the past couple months, past couple weeks so that in a game when the ball is moving, I didn’t handle it well and that’s on me because I do practice that during the week. Since our operation is so good, I do practice seeing bad laces, seeing the ball moving because at the end of the day, as a kicker, if the ball’s on the ground it’s your job to make the kicks so when that balls moving or whatever or if it’s perfectly still, you got to make the kick. We got a lot of good reps this week, and as I said as a kicker, you got to be able to handle everything no matter what.”

Both Toub and Butker believe this is a quick fix and something that they’ve already accounted for in this practice week leading up to the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills. As the stakes get higher in the playoffs, this unit will want things to be airtight.

“Yeah definitely, I mean we’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel,” Butker said. “I think there are some minor adjustments we can all make, and we’re focused in for this next AFC Championship game and the biggest thing is just learning from past mistakes and correcting it and getting better and moving on.”

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Chiefs players react to Harrison Butker’s clutch game-winning field goal

The legend of Harrison Butker grows as his teammates celebrate his epic game-winning kick against the Chargers.

The Kansas City Chiefs secured a come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, but it wouldn’t have happened without some clutch moments from kicker Harrison Butker.

Butt-kicker dot com, as Andy Reid calls him, nailed the chip shot to send the game to overtime. That was just the tip of the iceberg for Butker, though. With the game on the line, the veteran kicker made a 58-yard field goal after being iced twice, once by a penalty, and a second time by a timeout. He showed that he was made of sterner stuff and wouldn’t be denied from the uprights.

After the game, Butker’s teammates took to Twitter to react to his legendary moment. First came the reactions from a pair of players who didn’t make the trip to Los Angeles.

Rankin is on the PUP list and Saunders is on injured reserve. They both knew all along that Butker was going to nail these. Then came the comments from the teammates who were on the field with him.

You have to have ice in your veins to do what Butker accomplished.

The rookie cornerback L’Jarius Sneed came away impressed with his kicker after Week 2.

Watts calls it like he sees it.

Mahomes put in a lot of the leg work to mount the comeback win, but he’s glad to see Butker take the glory. In the end, so long as the team wins, that’s all that matters for this group.

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Instant analysis of Chargers’ loss to Chiefs

A breakdown of the Los Angeles Chargers’ heartbreaking 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chargers fought hard throughout the entire game, but they fell to the Chiefs after kicker Harrison Butker won it with a 58-yard field.

Here is our instant analysis from Los Angeles’ loss to Kansas City:

Injury Report

The Chargers suffered a few injuries.

Quarterback Tyrod Taylor was ruled out with a chest injury.

Tackle Bryan Bulaga sustained a knee injury. He never returned.

Safety Rayshawn Jenkins left the game with a groin injury.

Defensive tackle Justin Jones left the contest with a shoulder injury.

Play of the Game: Justin Herbert connects with Keenan Allen for 25 yards

Notable Number

311: Justin Herbert is the eighth quarterback since 2010 to have 300+ yards and a passing TD in his first career start.

Quick Takes

Despite the loss, you couldn’t have asked for a better debut by QB Justin Herbert. The former Oregon product made some rookie mistakes, most notably the interception thrown into triple coverage. However, he was still impressive, nonetheless. Herbert finished the game with 22-of-33 passing for 311 yards, a touchdown and an interception, which included a few “wow” throws.

Herbert’s top targets were wide receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Hunter Henry, who amassed seven receptions for 96 yards and six catches for 83 yards, respectively.

The offensive line deserves a lot of credit, as they handled the Chiefs defensive line for the majority of the game, even without tackle Bryan Bulaga and center Mike Pouncey. The running game combined for 183 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries.

On the other side of the ball, the Chargers defensive line was too much for the Chiefs defensive line for most of the contest. Los Angeles deployed a few blitz packages, which were very effective. Defensive ends Joey Bosa, Uchenna Nwosu and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery combined for a sack and five quarterback hits.

Cornerback Michael Davis had arguably his best game yet. Despite a couple of missed tackles, Davis had two passes defensed, one in coverage against Tyreek Hill and the other against Sammy Watkins.

Coach Anthony Lynn made the decision to go for it twice on fourth-down, but the one he decided not to go for from the Chargers’ 34-yard line in overtime might be the most heavily scrutinized.

The Chargers were flagged six times, but the offsides calls came at the most crucial times.

Prevent defense isn’t going to work against Mahomes.

Up Next

The Chargers will be back at SoFi Stadium to take on the Panthers. The Week 3 matchup will be played on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1:05 p.m. PT

Watch: Harrison Butker drills 58-yard field goal in OT as Chiefs edge Chargers

Harrison Butker delivered from 58 yards twice, including once in OT, as the Chiefs edged the Chargers.

Harrison Butker needed the hat trick from 50-plus yards in overtime to give the Kansas City Chiefs a 23-20 victory Sunday over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

Butker, who earlier had tied the Chiefs’ record with a 58-yarder, connected from 53 but a Chiefs lineman was called for a false start.

Then, Butker lined up again and kicked the ball through from 58. However, the Chargers called time just before the snap.

Finally, Butker did it again, drilling his second 58-yarder of the game that kept Patrick Mahomes undefeated in September. The quarterback is 9-0.

Chiefs’ Harrison Butker talks new holder Tommy Townsend, fan support at Arrowhead Stadium

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker addressed new punter Tommy Townsend and more during Saturday’s press conference with reporters.

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The Kansas City Chiefs said goodbye to 15-year veteran punter Dustin Colquitt this offseason.

The departure of Colquitt not only changes the punting game for Kansas City. It also affects the placekicking alignment. Harrison Butker enters training camp with a new holder in rookie punter Tommy Townsend hoping to continue good chemistry in the new relationship. Butker addressed this change and more during Saturday’s press conference with reporters.

“As far as Tommy Townsend, he’s doing a really good job holding the ball,” Butker said. “He held at Florida and he’s getting the ball down really fast, I’m able to see it. We have a good operation time and he’s learning as much as he can right now. I’m trying to take him under my wing a little bit and kind of show him the ropes since he is the only punter on the roster. He’s just learning as he goes.”

The other possible change that was looming concerned the threat of no fans at Arrowhead Stadium this season. Since the Chiefs formally announced there would be limited attendance throughout the year, players such as Tyrann Mathieu expressed joy in the decision. Butker shared his opinion as well, especially during clutch late-game situations.

”Personally, I think the fans are great,” Butker said. “For me as a kicker, I kind of thrive off of the pressure and the adrenaline that I start to feel. Going out there and seeing all 2,000 fans out there, it probably added some juice to my field goals, and I was able to hit some longer field goals that we haven’t really been attempting in practice lately. I think it’s great and I think I definitely perform better during a game situation with pressure.”

The Chiefs faithful that will be in attendance at Arrowhead this season will be heard regardless of the limited capacity. Butker and his teammates will use the energy from the passionate crowd at Arrowhead Stadium to their advantage.

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Chiefs K Harrison Butker launches clothing line with NOVUS Clothing Company

Harrison Butker has taken his public image to another level with his partnership with a sports-based clothing line.

The Kansas City Chiefs are still enjoying their status atop of the football world after winning Super Bowl LIV back in February. Their placekicker Harrison Butker has taken his public image to another level as he’s teamed up with a sports-based clothing line.

Butker’s partnership with NOVUS Clothing Company has been teased for weeks. On Tuesday, Butker announced a collaborative clothing line, making him the first NFL player represented by the athletic apparel company. The company is owned by brothers Garrett and Nick Bernardo along with their friend Scott Klimchak. The apparel offers teams, colleges, athletes, and organizations “high-quality custom sportswear.”

“Beyond stoked to introduce the world to my new exclusive clothing line with NOVUS,” said Butker via his Instagram. “This is about more than selling clothing, this is about building a movement. Our values and ideals must be reflected in all areas of our life, including what we wear.
Verso L’alto!”

The 24-year-old Decatur, Georgia native will be entering his third season as the Chiefs kicker. He made news back in April with a viral video that showed him kicking a 77-yard field goal on an empty practice field and using a tee.

Butker has begun to build on his on-field success with business ventures, further growing his brand. His collection will garner interests from Chiefs Kingdom and sports fans alike, fulfilling NOVUS’s mission to make a positive impact on the world through faith and perseverance.

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Harrison Butker taking up Dustin Colquitt’s mantle as Chiefs’ special teams leader

Dustin Colquitt’s departure from Kansas City has created an opportunity for Harrison Butker to step up as a leader.

After being a leader in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room for 15 years, Dustin Colquitt’s departure has left the team with a void. It’s a void that fourth-year kicker Harrison Butker hopes to be able to fill. On Friday, Butker described his relationship with Colquitt, who wasn’t just the punter for Kansas City, but also Butker’s holder on field goals and PATs. The synergy between the two players led to some record-breaking performances over the past three seasons. Butker credits Colquitt’s leadership and football prowess for a lot of his success.

“Dustin was definitely a leader when I got to the Chiefs,” Butker told media members. “He was able to guide me and you talked about the caddy to golfer relationship. I’d go out there on really windy days and sometimes I’d have an awful warmup off of the sticks and then Dustin would make some changes with the hold and I’d be kicking the ball straight and making them. So he was able to do a lot with the holds and I think after three years of picking his brain I was able to pick up on a lot of expertise.”

Butker learned plenty from Colquitt during their time together on the Chiefs. Now it’s Butker’s turn to impart that knowledge to the next generation of specialists in Kansas City. Currently, Butker is working with both Tommy Townsend and Tyler Newsome to do his part in helping to determine the next punter and holder for the Chiefs. Building trust during this time will be critical for when the players are finally able to take the field with there other Chiefs teammates.

“So now with Tommy [Townsend] and Tyler [Newsome] competing for the starting punting job that obviously means that they’re going to be the holder,” Butker explained. “We’ve been getting together six days a week, and number one, building that relationship, building the bond because you have to be close. You’re going to be kicking game-winning kicks together and you have to be able to trust the other person. Then from there just trying to figure out the communication for the ball lean, for the laces, for how their hand is out when they call for the ball from James [Winchester]. There are just so many small things that you have to perfect. There are so many guys that can do my job, that can hold the ball but how well can you do it? Can you do it at an elite level? I think that’s what separates people and it’s focusing on the details and that’s one, being the leader, now that Dustin’s no longer here unfortunately, I’m kind of the leader and I’m the one teaching them about the holding stuff. Dustin was able to share a ton of information with me and now kind of going on year four I’m gonna have to be the leader now and help those guys out.”

Colquitt’s impact on the Chiefs’ special teams unit will extend well beyond his tenure with the team. Butker is sharing all of the lessons he learned from Colquitt with the young players trying to make the team. Some of those lessons will extend beyond the football field, while others will help Townsend and Newsome become better players.

“I think he added a great perspective,” Butker explained of Colquitt. “Football is temporary. Obviously, Dustin loves it, I love the game of football but there are bigger things going on outside of it. He’s a family man. He’s got five kids and I loved going over to his house and seeing how he interacted with his kids and he’s a great father. Now I’m a husband and father as well so I was able to learn a ton from him. He was a big role model for me in that locker room to see how an NFL player should conduct himself on and off the field. Now James Winchester, our snapper, he’s the old man now and I guess I’m in the number two spot with Tyler and Tommy both being young pups.”

James Winchester may be the longest-tenured specialist, but a lot of the responsibility to lead that group will fall on Butker as the kicker. It’s clear that he hopes to make his mentor proud by acting as a role model for the young guys now joining the Chiefs, just as Colquitt did with Butker back in 2017.

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