The new rule change to kickoffs in the NFL for the 2024-25 season will make the game look entirely different for fans at home. And it turns out, teams are also shifting around their strategies on kickoffs heading into the season, including the Kansas City Chiefs with longtime placekicker Harrison Butker.
Butker of course has had quite the offseason following the controversy surrounding his controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College, a Catholic College in Kansas.
Despite all of the controversial thoughts that Butker shared during the speech, which included calling LGBTQ Pride Month a “month of sin”, the Chiefs decided that Butker would still have a place on the team.
However, his role may be reduced just a bit with the team this coming season. Not because of his speech, but because of the changes to NFL kickoffs.
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub discussed the possibility of having safety Justin Reid, who has experience kicking for the team, as the team’s kickoff specialist. And it sure sounds like he is quite sold on making this decision.
“I’d like to have somebody that is able to make a tackle,” said Toub. “Butker is able to make a tackle, but I really don’t want him making tackles all year long. We watched every play of the XFL and kickers were involved in probably at least 25 to 40 percent of the tackles. We don’t want Butker in that situation, but he will be our kicker.
“Justin (Reid) can kick and cover. He can go down there and make tackles. He’s an extra guy they have to worry about to go down there and tackle. They know he’s a guy they have to block.”
It will be interesting to see if other teams around the NFL decide to bring in more athletic players to serve as their kick-off specialists in the future as the Chiefs are seemingly doing.
Regardless, it sure sounds like Harrison Butker will serve solely as the team’s field goal kicker moving forward.
