Harrison Butker injury update: Chiefs kicker could return soon, per Andy Reid

The Kansas City Chiefs have been quite happy to welcome back a few familiar faces in the last couple of weeks as injured players have begun to get healthier following some early season woes. If the team can add kicker Harrison Butker to that list, they will be ecstatic.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with the media on Wednesday as the team prepares to face the Los Angeles Chargers this week for the second time in 2024. Within his remarks to the media, Reid gave a full update on the Chiefs' situation at kicker.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke about changes at the kicker position and Butker's timeline on Wednesday.

For the last three games, the Chiefs have gone without veteran kicker Harrison Butker, one of the very best specialists in the NFL. The time away was a planned procedure to undergo surgery for his left meniscus in his knee in order to treat it well before the postseason. The surgery required Butker to land on injured reserve, which demands at least four games missed on the part of the injured player.

Butker has already missed three games for the Chiefs and Reid said it's quite possible that Butker could be ready in time to kick once again following the team's game against the Chargers in Week 14—the earliest possible moment for his potential return. That would be a best-case scenario for the Chiefs.

In Butker's absence, the Chiefs signed Spencer Shrader away from the New York Jets for the first two games, but a hamstring issue in practice has also forced him to join Butker on injured reserve. The Chiefs made that official this week and they turned to a familiar face in veteran journeyman Matthew Wright, who has enjoyed two separate stints with the team in 2022-23, to replace Shrader.

Wright will be the Chiefs' kicker going forward for at least one more week and likely another if Butker is not ready in time.

The Chiefs also welcomed back pass rusher Charles Omenihu and running back Isiah Pacheco last week in a close win over the Las Vegas Raiders.