Since joining the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, Harrison Butker has been the team’s primary kicker and one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, the Chiefs will have to go at it against their AFC rival Buffalo Bills without Butker. What happened to Butker, and when might the team expect him back?
What Is Harrison Butker’s Injury?
It seems probable that Butker has been dealing with this injury all season. Somehow, he’s been able to play through it for most of the year. As of last week, though, it became too much.
Harrison Butker has collapsed on his left knee following through EVERY kick this season.
It is a change in his technique that really caught my attention, and unfortunately it’s not surprising his left knee needs a meniscus procedure.
Hope he gets healthy. https://t.co/DsSVrKmFuz pic.twitter.com/1szLcRzQea
— Drew Butler (@DrewButler)
Butker has a torn meniscus in his left knee that he will have surgery to repair.
Is Butker Playing in Week 11?
Obviously, Butker is not playing in Week 11. Meniscus surgery can come in two forms. If a player opts for or requires a full repair, he’s out for at least 2-3 months. That is what Rashid Shaheed chose to do with his meniscus tear, ending his season.
SEE MORE: NFL Injury Report
Butker has chosen the alternative route — a trim. By undergoing a trim, Butker will be able to return in 3-4 weeks. Since the Chiefs placed their kicker on injured reserve (IR), it will be at least four weeks before we see Butker again.
How Will Butker’s Absence Impact the Chiefs?
Despite clearly having this knee injury, Butker made 90% of his field goals before going on IR. He made 18 of 20 kicks, with his only two misses coming from 50+ yards out. The only other kick he missed was one of his 22 extra-point attempts.
With Butker out at least a month, the Chiefs claimed Spencer Shrader off the New York Jets’ practice squad.
Sources: Chiefs are signing kicker Spencer Shrader off the Jets practice squad and placing kicker Harrison Butker on injured reserve due to a knee injury. pic.twitter.com/4fmiBTvHaB
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Shrader is a 25-year-old rookie UDFA looking to earn a starting job somewhere. It’s only his first NFL season, yet he will now kick for his third team this year.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Shrader to fill in for an injured Matt Gay to open the season. Once Gay returned in Week 2, Shrader went back to the practice squad. The team released him after Week 4.
When Greg Zuerlein went down with an injury a few weeks later, the Jets signed Shrader to replace him. He made his debut in Week 10, nailing both of his field goals. Given that Zuerlein is on IR himself, Shrader wasn’t merely a placeholder for the Jets — he was their primary kicker and entered Week 11 fully expecting to kick for them again.
In a season that can be best described as a comedy of errors, the Jets reverted Shrader back to the practice squad after last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. After Butker went down, Shrader was just sitting there unprotected. So, the Chiefs poached him. It was all perfectly legal and within the rules. Now, the Jets need a new kicker, while Shrader will be in Buffalo, N.Y., when the Chiefs battle the Bills on Sunday in Week 11.
