Former Chiefs Players Call for Butker Replacement

Social media criticism follows a disappointing field goal performance in the Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Football

Expressive sports illustration of football players in motion, capturing the intensity of a match between Kansas City and Seattle teams. — Former Chiefs players Gehrig Dieter and Shaun Smith have criticized kicker Harrison Butker's performance following the team's 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should a professional sports team replace a struggling veteran player based on recent performance?

Former Kansas City Chiefs players Gehrig Dieter and Shaun Smith have publicly suggested replacing current kicker Harrison Butker. The calls come after Butker finished 1-for-3 on field goal attempts during the team's 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Why it matters

The criticism stems from frustration over recent performance issues during a key divisional game. Fans and former athletes are highlighting the availability of veteran kickers as the team evaluates its roster reliability.

Harrison Butker missed field goal attempts from 58 and 45 yards during the loss. Comparatively, available free agent Justin Tucker converted 73.3% of his field goals during the 2024 season, hitting 22 of 30 attempts.

The players

Harrison Butker

He is a long-tenured placekicker who has been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs since 2017.

Gehrig Dieter

He is a former wide receiver who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2017 to 2021.

Shaun Smith

He is a former NFL player who voiced support for roster changes on social media.

Justin Tucker

He is a veteran kicker and 36-year-old free agent who was released by the Baltimore Ravens in May 2025.

The details

Harrison Butker, who has been on the Kansas City Chiefs roster since 2017, acknowledged that his warm-up performance was poor prior to the game. His struggles against the Seahawks directly impacted the scoring output for the Chiefs in a game that ended in a 20-3 defeat.

Harrison Butker joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017.
The Baltimore Ravens released Justin Tucker in May 2025.
The Chiefs lost to the Seahawks in a Week 7 game during October 2026.

Season Trajectory

This performance slump threatens the team's reliability in close contests and impacts playoff seeding math. It signals a potential shift in roster management as the franchise considers whether to stick with current personnel or pursue available veteran options.

The missed field goals directly contributed to the low 3-point total, significantly limiting the team's offensive efficiency against the Seahawks. Fantasy managers and team supporters should monitor if the organization schedules tryouts for free agent kickers in the coming days.

The takeaway

Reliability in the kicking game remains a critical component for postseason success in the NFL. Fans should watch for official team reports regarding roster evaluations in the days following the Week 7 loss.