The Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday exposed several issues within the Kansas City Chiefs, as the team suffered its first loss of the 2026 season, falling 20-3. The struggles in the run game were evident, but it was the special teams that stood out for all the wrong reasons. Kansas City clearly has a kicker problem with Harrison Butker.

The veteran kicker has struggled to find consistency since the start of the 2025 season, missing 15 kicks in total, including 10 field goals and five extra points. With the Chiefs looking to return to the playoffs after failing to qualify last year, the team could be looking for reinforcements. And it seems Kansas City may be exploring an option that no other team has considered so far.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs are signing former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad. It’s the first time Tucker has signed with a team since the Ravens waived him last year and since he served a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Ravens and won a Super Bowl, while also earning seven Pro Bowl honors. However, Baltimore released the veteran kicker after he was accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior during massage sessions. Tucker denied all the allegations, and no legal charges were ever filed against him. Subsequently, the league imposed a 10-game suspension on him during the 2025 season.

Following his suspension, however, the 36-year-old struggled to find a new home. He reportedly tried out with the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 and again in 2026, but neither team signed him. Ahead of the regular season, he also worked out for the New York Jets, but failed to sign a deal.

And now, he’s joining the Chiefs’ practice squad, as the team is struggling amid Harrison Butker’s disappointing performance.

The decision came after Butker missed two of three field goal attempts against the Seahawks on Sunday. Butker finished the game 1-for-3 on field goals, making a 50-yarder but missing attempts from 58 and 45 yards. The first missed attempt came during the first half.

Chiefs cornerback Nohl Williams intercepted Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold in the end zone, giving Kansas City possession with a chance to get on the scoreboard just before halftime. With only seven seconds left, Kenneth Walker III gained four yards on a run.

The Chiefs called a timeout with one second remaining, setting up Butker’s 58-yard attempt. The kick, however, fell short, leaving Kansas City trailing 10-0 at halftime. While he had scored a field goal later in the second half, he again missed in the fourth quarter.

KC began the possession at its own 13-yard line and advanced downfield through a combination of Patrick Mahomes’ passing and scrambling and Walker’s running. Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for 19 yards and Noah Gray for another 19 before the drive reached Seattle territory.

Kansas City reached Seattle’s 27-yard line. On third-and-three, Mahomes threw an incomplete pass intended for Cyrus Allen. Seattle defensive tackle Leonard Williams was credited with helping disrupt the pass. The Chiefs sent Butker out for a 45-yard field goal on fourth down. Butker pushed the kick wide right, leaving Kansas City trailing 13-3 with 8:38 remaining.

“He’s been one of the most consistent kickers in football. He’s off a bit, so got to fix it,” Coach Andy Reid said of Butker’s struggles.

But it has become a major issue for Butker and the Chiefs through the first seven weeks of the season. In 2023, Butker converted 94.3% of field goal attempts (33-of-35), followed by 84% in 2024 (21-of-25), and 86.8% in 2025 (33-of-38). Through the first six games in 2026, however, the number has fallen to just 68.8%, as Butker has made 11-of-16 field goals so far.

For broader context, his struggles are particularly pronounced from 50 yards and beyond. In 2024, Butker converted 95% (19-of-20) of field goals inside 50 yards, followed by 93.3% (28-of-30) in 2025. In 2026, it’s still efficient, as he has converted 90% of field goals inside 50 yards (9-of-10). However, his struggles from 50+ yards are evident as well.

In 2024, he converted just 40% of field goals from 50+ yards (2-of-5), followed by 62.5% (5-of-8) in 2025. In 2026, however, he has converted just 33.3% of his field goal attempts (2-of-6). Ahead of the 2026 season, Butker attributed some of his previous kicking struggles to experimenting with different techniques following the NFL’s 2024 dynamic kickoff rule change.

“Field goals matter the most,” said Harrison Butker. “Trying to hit those knuckleballs and the funny kickoffs maybe affected the field goals a little bit. I think halfway through the season last year I said, forget the kickoffs — not forget the kickoffs — but I’m just gonna hit a high hang time ball, good location, just focus on the location.

“I’m not gonna hit a low line-drive knuckleball. And I think that’s helped my field goals because it’s the same foot-to-ball contact. Good foot-to-ball contact on the field goal and just do the same thing on the kickoff rather than having two different swings. So that helped me the second half of the season, and I’m sticking with that for training camp and this season.”

Kansas City is 5-1 after dropping the first game of the season to the Seahawks this past Sunday. Certainly, while the team is looking to make the playoffs this year, they are currently dealing with kicking problems. Amid Harrison Butker’s struggles, the Chiefs have signed Justin Tucker. Now, it remains to be seen whether they will utilize him in the coming weeks. Kansas City plays the Denver Broncos for the second time this season in Week 8.