Chiefs Add Justin Tucker to Roster as Butker Miss Rate Peaks

Harrison Butker stands tied for the National Football League lead in missed field goals this season, a statistic that prompted the Kansas City Chiefs to sign eight-time All-Pro Justin Tucker to their practice squad. The move was first reported by Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star and confirmed by head coach Andy Reid during a Wednesday press conference. Tucker, who has not been employed since the Baltimore Ravens released him in May 2025, is the second all-time leader in field goal percentage.

The signing arrives three days after Butker missed kicks from 58 and 45 yards during a 20-3 defeat by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7. Butker is currently 11-for-16 on field goal attempts in 2026. He is tied with Green Bay Packers kicker Trey Smack and New York Giants kicker Dominic Zvada for the most missed field goals in the league, with five each. Butker has failed to convert an extra point or field goal in 15 of his last 26 regular-season games.

Tucker’s arrival follows a period of personal conduct scrutiny. The NFL suspended him for 10 games after an investigation into allegations of improper conduct during massage therapy sessions between 2012 and 2016. Despite never facing formal criminal charges, he served the suspension. Reid stated that Tucker has completed his penalty and that the team has handled the situation. When asked about giving a second chance to a player with a prior history, Reid noted that he does his homework and acknowledged that Tucker served his time.

Butker remains on the active 53-man roster. Reid indicated that Butker will receive the majority of practice reps this week, suggesting he will likely take the field Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Tucker, who turns 37 in late November, is joining the squad ahead of the Week 8 matchup. His presence provides depth for a unit that has faced criticism for consistency.

The reunion with Tucker brings up memories from the 2023 AFC Championship Game in Baltimore. At that time, Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce engaged in a pregame exchange with Tucker. Kelce later said on the New Heights podcast that Tucker violated an unwritten rule by placing his helmet and kicking tee in the quarterbacks' warm-up area. Kelce expressed frustration at the disruption, noting that Tucker should keep his gear with the quarterbacks if he intended to be involved in the pregame routine.

Mahomes has downplayed the incident as a competitive moment. He stated that he and Tucker did not have a long-standing disagreement and that the exchange was a result of high stakes in the championship game. Mahomes emphasized that he tries to remain neutral regarding in-season roster moves, trusting general manager Brett Veach to manage the personnel. He focused his attention on the upcoming game against Denver and the need for the team to clean up performance issues.