The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional round on Saturday, January 18.
The Chiefs finished the regular season 8-0 at home and look to keep that perfect record intact. After securing the No. 1 seed, they earned home-field advantage throughout their postseason journey.
Kansas City is considered the heavy favorite to beat Houston, a team they defeated 27-19 in Week 16. However, the Texans were also deemed underdogs during wild-card weekend. C.J. Stroud and Co. went on to crush the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in order to to advance to the next round.
One day before kickoff, the Chiefs announced the team captains for what they hope to be a historic playoff run. Leading the franchise in their journey to hopefully win a Super Bowl three-peat, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive lineman Chris Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton, long snapper James Winchester, and kicker Harrison Butker.
Fans Strongly Reacted to Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Being Named a Team Captain
After the Chiefs announced Butker as one of the team captains on Instagram, the comments section filled with strong reactions from fans. One woman wrote, “Liked it and then I unliked it after seeing Buttlicker up there.” Another person commented, “butker should probably stay home and focus on his family.”
One fan wrote, “harrison being the only one standing on the platform doing that stupid pose is giving me the ick. prepared for all the harry lovers to fight with me, hit me with your best shot 🥰.” One Instagram user replied, “he’s gotta feel masculine somehow when there are no women around to berate.” Another user wrote, “love the team but seriously how does butker’s public actions embody anything that you would want in a captain?”
Numerous comments stemmed from Butker’s commencement speech at St. Benedictine College this offseason. Butker sent a direct message to the women at the small Catholic school on May 11:
“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.
“I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” he said. “I’m on this stage today, able to be the man that I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.
“I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker Has Struggled After Undergoing Surgery This Season
GettyChiefs kicker Harrison Butker at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 10, 2024.
The Chiefs made Butker the highest-paid kicker in the league heading into the 2024 NFL season, signing him to a four-year, $25.6 million contract. Butker, typically one of the most reliable players on the team, hit injured reserve with a knee injury before Week 11.
Since his return, Butker’s hit 3-of-5 field goal attempts. Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, however, remains confident in the 29-year-old veteran.
“He had surgery on that knee; we can’t forget that,” Toub told reporters. “It was a minor surgery, but still – it lingered a little bit because it’s the plant leg that he collapses or whatever we want to call that. It’s changed up things a little bit, but he’s – you know, I think he’s looked good most recently.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chiefs Make Harrison Butker Announcement Before Playoff Run appeared first on Heavy Sports.