Butker misses 15th kick as Seahawks dominate Chiefs 20-3

Harrison Butker has missed 15 kicks in the last two seasons, a league-high total that included a second field goal attempt of the night for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The miss from 45 yards with 8.5 minutes remaining sealed a 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.

The Chiefs entered the fourth quarter with just one field goal on the board. The scoring drive was stalled by a lack of production from the offense, which recorded 50 rushing yards and 213 total yards. The team converted only three of 11 third-down attempts and controlled the ball for nearly 11 minutes less than Seattle.

Butker’s performance on Sunday added to a streak of inconsistency. He missed four of his first six attempts this season. The kicker, who carries the sixth-highest base salary on the Chiefs roster, said the situation is simply the nature of his position. “Life of a kicker,” Butker said. “It either goes in or it doesn't. Unfortunately, there's been some kicks that haven't gone in.”

Coach Andy Reid acknowledged that Butker has been off his usual mark. “He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football. He’s off a bit,” Reid said. “so got to fix it.” The coach also noted that the team committed only two penalties during the game.

The Seahawks defense exploited Kansas City’s secondary, targeting L'Jarius Sneed throughout the contest. Sneed has struggled since returning to the Chiefs after a brief stint in Tennessee. Seattle’s offense, led by Sam Darnold, converted 11 of 16 third downs and rushed for 153 yards.

The Chiefs’ offensive line faced further challenges with right tackle Jaylon Moore missing the game due to concussion protocol and wide receiver Rashee Rice sitting out with a hamstring injury. Nohl Williams provided a bright spot for the defense, picking off a pass in the end zone and returning it 65 yards for a touchdown before halftime.

This marks the second time in Patrick Mahomes’ career that the Chiefs have scored three points or fewer. The previous occurrence was a 27-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans in October 2021. Kansas City travels to Denver on Sunday to face the Broncos, who have won their last three games.