Chiefs, Harrison Butker agree to one of largest kicker contracts ever
The Kansas City Chiefs and kicker Harrison Butker announced on Thursday that the 23-year-old had signed a five-year contract extension.
On paper, largest ever
NFL Network reported that Butker’s deal is for $20.3 million, with a maximum value of $21.5 million.
Via OvertheCap, that would make Butker’s contract the largest ever for a kicker; the New Orleans Saints’ Wil Lutz signed a contract in March that’s valued at $20.25 million. Ryan Succop of the Tennessee Titans and Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens have pacts valued at $20 million.
Kansas City Star reporter Sam Mellinger tweeted that the contract has $9 million in guarantees, the third-most in guaranteed money for a kicker.
The extension starts after the 2019 season; for the coming year, the third of his rookie deal, Butker will earn $645,000. He’ll make $8 million over the 2020-21 seasons.
From practice squad to standout
It’s been a quick ascension for Butker: he was a seventh-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2017. But when he didn’t beat out veteran Graham Gano, the Panthers cut the Georgia Tech product and then re-signed him to the practice squad.
Less than two weeks later, Kansas City signed him off Carolina’s practice squad, and a week after that, he hit the game-winning field goal against Washington.
Last year, thanks to the Chiefs’ potent offense, Butker led the NFL in extra points made with 65 (on 69 attempts). He also converted 24 of 27 field-goal tries.
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