Not too far removed from ignoring Harrison Butker’s critics and the NFL’s disassociating from his comments earlier this year, the Kansas City Chiefs made him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker with a new contract.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport made the announcement Monday, saying the Chiefs agreed with the kicker on a contract extension.
‘The #Chiefs and star kicker Harrison Butker have agreed to terms on a contract extension to make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, sources say. Butler represented himself in the deal. It’s a 4-year, $25.6M deal, sources say. He gets $17.8M in guarantees. The new highest-paid kicker at $6.4M per year.’
Rapoport also said Butker represented himself in the deal, and Butker took to social media after signing the contract.
“There’s no place I’d rather be than with the Chiefs, excited to finalize a 4 year extension,” Butker tweeted. “To the Heights!”
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has been NFL standout
Butker has been rock solid since joining the Chiefs in 2017, providing numerous key kicks during the franchise’s journey to three Super Bowl titles. Butker nailed a record-setting 57-yard kick against San Francisco in the Super Bowl earlier this year. For his career, Butker has made 89% of his field goals and 95% on extra-point attempts. And in the postseason he’s matched those marks.
Earlier this year, Butker created a firestorm with comments he made during a commencement speech at Benedictine College, a Catholic school in Kansas. Butker holds conservative beliefs, and his speech included comments that most of the graduating women were likely excited about getting married and having children.
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After the speech, Chiefs coach Andy Reid told nbcsports.com that Butker has a right to express his beliefs.
“I didn’t talk to him about this,” Reid said. “I didn’t think we need to. We’re a microcosm of life here. Everybody’s from different areas, different religions, different races. And so we all get along. We all respect each others opinions. And not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everybody to have a voice. It’s a great thing about America, man. And we’re just, like I said, a microcosm and my wish is that everybody could kind of follow that.”
Reid also said the comments aren’t a distraction for the team.
“The guys are good with that,” Reid said. “They understand. They understand how things work. I mean, everybody’s got their own opinion. And that’s what so great about this country. You can share those things and you work through it. And that’s what guys do.”