Harrison Butker had a night that perfectly encapsulated what makes him both extraordinary and occasionally maddening.
In the Chiefs' preseason game against the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium Saturday night, he drilled a 69-yard field goal before halftime, a kick that teammates sprinted to midfield to celebrate and that would have set an NFL record had it come in a regular season game. The ball had room to spare. It may have been good from 72 yards.
Then, with 3:23 remaining and Kansas City trailing 16-15, he lined up for a 43-yard go-ahead attempt. He missed it. He also missed an extra point earlier in the game. Tampa Bay won 16-15.
"You've got to make your kicks," Butker said afterward. "Miss an extra point, miss a game-winner. That's what I care about, not the 69-yarder or whatever it was. I feel like throughout my career when I've had big kicks, it's been a struggle to finish the game or the next game."
He went 3-for-5 on field goals and missed one extra point. The 69-yarder was the good.
The 43-yarder was the bad. He is one of the best kickers in NFL history and he knows the preseason is for fixing exactly what happened Saturday, not celebrating what happened before halftime.