Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made history against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday — though, officially, it won’t count.
Butker launched a 69-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half of the preseason matchup, after Kansas City got the ball at their own 49 yard line following a Tampa Bay turnover on downs. Butker then launched the kick through the center of the uprights as time expired.
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His teammates, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, quickly came over to congratulate the kicker.
The number surpasses the NFL record for longest field goal, set by Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little last season. Little, then a second-year kicker, nailed a field goal from 68 yards last November, on an attempt taken in the final seconds of the first half.
Butker’s kick, however, will not count; the NFL does not include preseason stats in these kinds of official records. Technically speaking, Butker’s kick actually fell short of the unofficial record, also set by Little, who hammered a 70-yarder in the preseason last year.
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Little now holds the two official longest field goals, with the Jaguars kicker hitting a 67-yarder in January.
Butker’s kick gave the Chiefs a 9-0 lead heading into halftime, as neither team was able to find the end zone. Both teams eventually did score in the third quarter, with Kansas City’s coming off a short rush from Emmett Johnson. Butker missed the extra point after the touchdown.
