When Harrison Butker stepped onto the grass at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022, he wasn't just coming back from an injury. He was basically walking into a franchise history duel. You might remember the vibe that afternoon. The Kansas City Chiefs were facing the Buffalo Bills, and the air was thick with that high-stakes tension only Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen can create. But it was Butker who stole the halftime spotlight.
With just one second left in the second quarter, Andy Reid sent the kicking unit out. The ball was spotted at the Chiefs' own 48-yard line. Most kickers look at a 62-yard attempt and see a prayer. Harrison Butker saw a franchise record. He swung that right leg, the ball cleared the crossbar with room to spare, and just like that, the Harrison Butker longest field goal was officially in the books at 62 yards.
Breaking Down the 62-Yard Bomb
Honestly, the context of that kick makes it even more insane. Butker had been sidelined with a nasty ankle injury since Week 1. While he was out, Matthew Wright had actually broken Butker's previous team record of 58 yards by hitting a 59-yarder against the Raiders.
Imagine that. You're the starter, you're hurt, and you watch someone else take your record while you're in a walking boot.
Butker didn't just take it back; he obliterated it.
The 62-yarder wasn't just a personal best. It was the longest field goal ever kicked in the history of Arrowhead Stadium—a place known for tricky winds and grass that can get chewing-gum soft in the October heat. It also tied him for the 15th-longest field goal in NFL history at the time.
He didn't look like a guy who had missed a month of football. He looked like a machine.
Why Distance Matters in KC
The Chiefs' offense is a juggernaut. We know this. But having a guy who can reliably put up three points from the logo changes how Andy Reid calls a game. If you're at the 44-yard line with 10 seconds left, you don't have to risk a deep shot or a turnover. You just let Butker kick it.
The Super Bowl Record No One Saw Coming
If you think the 62-yarder was his only "big" kick, you've gotta look at what happened in February 2024. Super Bowl LVIII was a defensive slog for a long time. The 49ers' Jake Moody had actually set a new Super Bowl record earlier in the game with a 55-yarder.
💡 You might also like: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
It lasted about two quarters.
In the third quarter, Butker lined up for a 57-yard attempt. Under the brightest lights in sports, with the Allegiant Stadium crowd screaming, he drilled it. That 57-yard strike became the new longest field goal in Super Bowl history.
Records are meant to be broken, sure, but breaking a record that was set earlier that same night is just cold-blooded. It’s that "Buttkicker" mentality people talk about.
Harrison Butker Career Longs by Season
Let’s look at how his leg has actually developed over the years. It’s not like he showed up in 2017 kicking 60-yarders. It was a gradual climb to elite leg strength.
- 2017: 53 yards (A stellar rookie year)
- 2018: 54 yards
- 2019: 56 yards
- 2020: 58 yards
- 2021: 56 yards
- 2022: 62 yards (The current career high)
- 2023: 60 yards
- 2024: 53 yards
- 2025: 59 yards
Basically, once he hit 2020, he entered the "60-yard club" conversation. He's one of the few guys in the league where the coaches don't even hesitate if it's 4th and long at the 42-yard line.
What Makes a 60-Yard Kick Possible?
People think it's just about leg strength. It’s not. It’s physics.
To hit a 62-yard field goal, the ball has to leave the foot at a specific launch angle. If it's too high, it catches the wind and falls short. If it's too low, a 6-foot-5 defensive lineman is going to swat it into the third row.
Butker uses a "soccer-style" approach—not surprising since he was a standout soccer player at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. He focuses on the "sweet spot" of the ball, which is slightly below the center. When he hit the 62-yarder against Buffalo, the ball had a hang time that felt like an eternity.
📖 Related: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
The snap from James Winchester was perfect. The hold from Tommy Townsend was flawless.
If any part of that trio is off by a millimeter, the ball clanks off the upright or dies in the air.
Comparing Butker to the NFL Giants
When we talk about the Harrison Butker longest field goal, we have to mention the "other guys." Specifically Justin Tucker and the new kid on the block, Cam Little.
As of early 2026, the world record belongs to Cam Little, who hit a mind-bending 68-yarder for the Jaguars in 2025. Then you have Justin Tucker’s legendary 66-yarder that bounced off the crossbar in Detroit.
Butker’s 62-yarder puts him in elite company, but he's often rated higher because of his accuracy in the playoffs. He’s currently sitting at over 88% career accuracy in the regular season. In the postseason? He’s even more of a lock.
He might not have the "longest" kick in NFL history, but he has the "biggest" kicks in terms of Super Bowl rings and Lombardi Trophies.
The Mental Game of the Long Kick
Have you ever tried to kick a football? It’s hard. Now imagine doing it with 70,000 people hoping you fail.
Butker is known for a very specific, almost robotic routine. He counts his steps back. He stares at the uprights. He exhales. He doesn't look at the rushers.
👉 See also: Texas vs Oklahoma Football Game: Why the Red River Rivalry is Getting Even Weirder
The mental pressure of a 60-yarder is different because the margin for error is zero. From 30 yards, you can "hook" a kick slightly and it still goes in. From 62 yards, the ball has so much distance to travel that a tiny 1-degree deviation at the start results in a miss by five yards at the end.
He’s talked before about how he doesn't try to "crush" the long ones. He tries to keep his swing smooth. If you try to kick it too hard, your form breaks down.
What’s Next for Butker’s Leg?
He’s 30 years old now. For a kicker, that's actually the prime.
Look at guys like Adam Vinatieri or Matt Prater. They were hitting deep balls well into their late 30s. There’s a very real chance we haven't seen the final Harrison Butker longest field goal yet.
If the Chiefs find themselves in Denver or a dome with some thin air, don't be shocked if Reid lets him pull the trigger from 64 or 65. The leg strength is clearly there.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Stats Junkies
If you’re tracking Butker’s performance for fantasy or just because you’re a die-hard Chiefs fan, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Pre-Game Warmups: Butker often tests his range from 65+ during warmups. If he’s hitting those easily, the Chiefs will be more aggressive in the second and fourth quarters.
- Surface Matters: His 62-yarder on grass was impressive, but his 57-yarder in a dome (Super Bowl LVIII) showed how much "pure" distance he has without wind interference.
- The "50-Plus" Stat: Butker has converted over 65% of his career attempts from 50 yards or further. That’s an absurdly high number for that distance.
- Weather Factor: Don't expect a career-long in a "Ice Bowl" scenario. While he's accurate in the cold, the ball simply doesn't travel as far when the air is dense and the leather is frozen.
Harrison Butker has already secured his spot as the greatest kicker in Kansas City history. Whether he ever hits a 68-yarder to claim the all-time NFL record doesn't really matter for his legacy. He’s the guy who hits the ones that win championships. That 62-yard bomb against the Bills was just a reminder to the rest of the league: no lead is safe if the Chiefs get past the 50-yard line.
To get a better feel for his current trajectory, you should track his "50-plus" conversion rate over the next few games. If he stays above 70% from that range, the Chiefs are essentially playing on a shortened field every single Sunday. Check the official NFL Next Gen Stats to see the "Expected Points Added" (EPA) every time he steps on the field for a long-distance try—it’s usually much higher than the league average.