Harrison Butker 69-yard field goal is a ridiculous sentence to type, but apparently that is where we are with NFL kickers now. Butker drilled one from 69 yards for Kansas City against Tampa Bay, and I think I’ve finally reached the point where the NFL should seriously consider narrowing the goal posts. These guys are getting too damn good.
A 50-yard field goal used to feel like a big deal. You’d see the kicker jogging out there from 52 or 53 and wonder if the coach had lost his mind. Now? Nobody even cares. Butker made kicks from 45 and 58 yards before Kansas City sent him out from 69, and somehow the craziest part is that attempting it didn’t even feel completely insane. That’s how much kicking has changed.
Harrison Butker 69-Yard Field Goal Shows How Much Kicking Has Changed
Once an offense crosses midfield now, it feels like you’re already getting close to field goal range. A 60-yard attempt puts the line of scrimmage around the opponent’s 42-yard line. So you cross the 50, pick up another first down, maybe gain a few more yards and suddenly the offense can completely stall out while still having a legitimate chance at three points. I don’t know if that’s necessarily bad for football, but it definitely feels different.
That’s why I’d narrow the uprights. I’m not trying to punish kickers for getting better at their jobs, and I definitely don’t want the NFL inventing some stupid rule where a 60-yard field goal is suddenly worth four points. Please don’t give them ideas. Just make the target a little smaller. If distance isn’t nearly as intimidating anymore, then accuracy should become a bigger part of the challenge.
You want to send your kicker out from 62 yards? Go for it. I actually love those attempts. There’s something awesome about everybody stopping what they’re doing because some dude is about to try kicking a football from another zip code. But if these guys are going to keep extending their range, make them hit a tighter target when they do it.
And yes, Butker immediately gave us the perfect reason not to call kickers completely automatic. After making the ridiculous long kicks, he later missed from much closer. Of course he did. That’s probably the most kicker thing possible. Hit from a distance where I’m not convinced I could even throw the football to the uprights, then miss one everybody expects you to make.
So I’m exaggerating when I say they’re automatic, but the range is still ridiculous. That’s the part that matters. Coaches have access to points from areas of the field where a field goal used to feel like a desperation move. Now some of these attempts are becoming normal enough that a 55-yarder barely gets a reaction.
Then again, maybe we don’t make this rule universal immediately because Tyler Loop might need a little extra time. Ravens fans already watched him push a 44-yard field goal wide right against Pittsburgh with Baltimore’s season sitting on his foot. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need me stealing another couple feet of space from him right now. Tyler can keep the regular uprights. Hell, maybe make his a little wider until further notice.
Everybody else? Move those yellow poles in.
I don’t want long field goals to disappear. I want the exact opposite. A 65- or 69-yard attempt is awesome because it feels ridiculous, and I want it to stay ridiculous. I just don’t want us getting to the point where crossing midfield means the offense has basically done enough to put points on the board.
