Harrison Butker Signs Record Extension Amid Controversy

With every offseason, players across the league look to cash in on their next big payday. From quarterbacks to punters, new league-altering deals happen every year and are one of the main attractions of the NFL offseason. Well, with only a few weeks to go until the start of the new season, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to create headlines by making Harrison Butker the highest-paid kicker of all time. With a contract worth $25 million over four years, this move creates tremendous strides for special teams players across the league.

Butker is well worth the money, as he is one of the best kickers in the entire NFL and has played an integral part in Kansas City’s success. With a career average of 89%, Butker has more than proven his value over the seven years he’s been in the NFL. Just last year, he went 33/35, good enough for 94%, placing him in the upper echelon of the league.

However, Butker has been involved in multiple conversations this offseason that don’t revolve around his contract. Several statements he made during a college graduation speech rubbed many people the wrong way, particularly his comments on women and how they should approach adult life. While I personally disagree with his statements, one thing is certain: a school's graduation is no place to share personal opinions on such matters, as it’s supposed to be a day of celebration. Butker has since spoken about the matter and has seemingly doubled down on his sentiment. Public outcry even led some to suggest that he should be relieved from his duties by the Chiefs, but ultimately, that never came to be. What should be a defining moment in the history of special teams players, unfortunately, gets overshadowed by these statements made prior to the deal being done.