Harrison Butker named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
By Matt Conner
Kansas City Chiefs rookie kicker Harrison Butker was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 8.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been noted for their excellence on special teams play under coach Dave Toub ever since the former Chicago Bears coach first arrived in 2013 to join Andy Reid’s staff. Toub’s ability to coach up his players have made Pro Bowlers out of linebackers like D.J. Alexander, but it also helps to have incredible talent on the roster like returner Tyreek Hill. You can now add rookie kicker to the latter as the incredible leg of Harrison Butker continues to turn heads each and every week.
Butker’s rookie performance, coming in relief of Cairo Santos who was placed on injured reserve and then outright released with a lingering groin injury, has been nothing short of a revelation for the Chiefs. After missing his first field goal, Butker has not missed a single kick ever since, an incredible streak of 18 straight field goals that includes more than one 50-yard attempt. Even this week, he provided the Chiefs with five field goals on five attempts that allowed a stalled offense to still put points on the board against the Denver Broncos.
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To reward him for his efforts, the NFL has given Butker their AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award for Week 8.
"“I found out this morning,” Butker said. “Coach Reid told the whole team, so it was a surprise to me. I wasn’t thinking about it after the game, but I’m really happy I got it. It’s nice getting recognized, the whole operation really—the line blocking, James (Winchester) snapping and (Dustin) Colquitt holding the ball. For all of us to get recognized was a big deal and we’re all happy.”"
It’s an early honor for Butker as a rookie but it’s yet another feather in Dave Toub’s cap who seems able to not only bring out the best in his players but to also know who would be a great fit. The Chiefs haven’t missed a beat since Santos went down and in fact it’s hard to believe Santos would have been the same 18 for 19 since his injury.
Butker originally joined the Chiefs when Brett Veach plucked him from the Carolina Panthers practice squad earlier this season. Butker was the Panthers seventh round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft.