The Kansas City Chiefs are 11-1 and remain atop the AFC despite dealing with a plethora of injuries since the start of training camp. Over the last month of the regular season, the Chiefs have overcome a peculiar situation at kicker, with multiple players suffering injuries.
What happened to Harrison Butker and Spencer Shrader, and who will be Kansas City’s kicker in Week 14?
What Happened to Harrison Butker?
Butker was a key cog in Kansas City’s back-to-back Super Bowl victories and got off to a strong start in 2024. While Butker appeared to be battling some type of leg injury, he pushed through and made 18-of-20 field goal attempts in Kansas City’s first nine games.
Prior to the Chiefs’ showdown with the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, Butker was surprisingly placed on injured reserve. Butker underwent surgery to trim his meniscus, forcing him to miss at least four weeks for the Chiefs.
While Butker is eligible to return for Kansas City in Week 15, his recovery timeline is unclear. Given the Chiefs’ continued success during Butker’s absence, they’ll likely allow the 29-year-old kicker to take all of the time needed to fully recover for a late-season run.
What Happened to Spencer Shrader?
Following Butker’s injury, Kansas City was forced to replace the three-time Super Bowl champion kicker on the fly. Ahead of the Chiefs’ matchup with the Bills, Kansas City signed undrafted rookie kicker Spencer Shrader from the New York Jets’ practice squad.
In his first two games with the Chiefs, Shrader got off to a perfect start. Shrader made all three of his field-goal attempts while also knocking home all six extra-point attempts.
Most notably, Shrader hit a game-winning field goal as time expired against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. Shrader’s 31-yard field goal propelled the Chiefs to a 30-27 victory over the feisty Panthers.
Following his strong performance against the Panthers, Shrader suffered a hamstring injury during a private workout. Shrader was eventually placed on injured reserve, forcing the Chiefs to find a third kicker to utilize in 2024.
Who Is Matthew Wright?
After losing both Butker and Shrader to injuries, the Chiefs turned to journeyman kicker Matthew Wright. Ironically, Wright was released by the San Francisco 49ers on November 15, following a stint on their injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.
The Chiefs are familiar with Wright, as he spent time on Kansas City’s practice squad each of the last two seasons. Wright joined Kansas City’s practice squad for a third time on Nov. 26, as the Chiefs needed a new kicker following Shrader’s hamstring injury.
In Wright’s first game with the Chiefs in 2024, he played a pivotal role in a grueling victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Wright went 4-for-5 on field-goal attempts, including the eventual game-winning field goal under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Following Wright’s performance in Week 13, the Chiefs signed him to the active roster. Now, Wright is expected to serve as Kansas City’s starting kicker until Butker is ready to return from knee surgery.