Butker accustomed to kicking under pressure

With so many games this postseason coming down to field goals, the Kansas City Chiefs are lucky to have a kicker like Harrison Butker.

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January 25, 2022 - 9:21 AM

Kansas City Chiefs teammates celebrate the winning field goal by Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (7) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (Jill Toyoshiba/The Kansas City Star/TNS) Photo by TNS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After three divisional playoff games had been decided on last-second field goals, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker had to know that fate was probably going to send him onto the field for a pressure-laden try against Buffalo on Sunday night.

Even when the Chiefs were far from within range and there were 13 seconds left on the clock.

So rather than stand and watch Patrick Mahomes calmly hit Tyreek Hill for a 19-yard gain, and Travis Kelce from 25 more, Butker retreated to the solitude of the sideline kicking net. He went through his normal routine, visualizing every movement before taking the field, and was ready when those two long pass plays gave him an opportunity.

The rest went down in playoff history: Butker split the uprights from 49 yards as time expired to send the game to overtime, and Mahomes and Co. took care of the rest, marching for the decisive touchdown in a wild 42-36 victory.

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