Harrison Butker on How His Consistent Approach Helps with Game-Winning Kicks

Harrison Butker capped off a big-time Chiefs win over the Bengals on Sunday, and he thinks it's partially thanks to how he approaches practice.

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker (7) kicks a game winning field goal as time expires against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Death, taxes and Harrison Butker being a go-to option for the Kansas City Chiefs in clutch moments.

In Sunday's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the back-to-back Super Bowl champs needed all the help they could get. After starting slow in the first half and playing some sloppy football, things got even more chaotic in the third and fourth frames. High drama ensued, then a suddenly anemic Kansas City offense got down the field late in the fourth quarter thanks to some timely plays (and a defensive pass interference penalty).

The rest is history, as Butker drilled a 51-yard field goal to cap off the second Chiefs win in a row to start the regular season. It was nothing new for Butker, who's made huge kicks in close calls against Cincinnati in the past.

"They're always very tight, and this game reminded me of the 2022 AFC Championship Game," Butker said. "I think it was a 48-yarder, right hash, kick to win the game as well going that same direction."

THANK YOU HARRISON BUTKER 🙌 pic.twitter.com/SFLjkrxgux

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 15, 2024

Fresh off the win, Butker explained his mentality entering such high-pressure situations. He believes if he approaches every practice kick like it's a do-or-die one, it keeps him steady and makes the in-game ones easier to execute.

"I feel like I always say this but during practice, I try to put a ton of pressure on myself," Butker said. "Coach (Andy) Reid and Coach (Dave) Toub, they do a great job with that. But if I can make my set of eight kicks on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a Sunday game feel like game-winners and if I can make my 10 kicks going both ways in pre-game warmups feel like game-winners, when I get to a game-winning moment, nothing different should happen. I shouldn't surprise myself by hitting a bad or a good kick. It should be the exact same. But I think when you are driving down the field for a game-winning kick, my focus is going to be greater than any other kick that game. It's hard not to be more dialed in. I would expect to have a better kick [and] for a game-winning kick to be more dialed in and locked in for that moment."

Butker's blend of accuracy, distance and mental consistency is hard to find in a modern kicker. Even with the rest of the NFL draining long-range boots with relative ease early in the season, the 29-year-old has separated himself from the pack. Last season's return to form, which saw him make 33 of his 35 field goal tries and all of his extra points, played a major role in that.

In Kansas City's last two playoff runs, Butker missed just one kick combined. Going 17-for-18 on field goals (including 4-for-4 from 50-plus yards out) and 18-for-18 on extra points gave him tons of recent experience in the biggest of moments. At this point in his career, hitting a game-winner in Week 2 of the regular season pales in comparison to what he's done in, say, the conference title game.

In Week 1, the Chiefs' defense stopped the Baltimore Ravens late and secured a win. This time around, Butker brought home the last-second triumph against another talented AFC North club. While not every game moving forward will be as much of a nail-biter, Butker's unwavering preparation ensures that he'll be ready when that time comes.

"I expect to have a lot of kicks," Butker said. "Every single game, I expect the game to be close and for it to end with a game-winning kick. I feel like if that's my mentality going into every game, I'll be prepared for whatever comes my way."

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