Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker showed record-breaking range Saturday night, drilling a 69-yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as time expired in the first half of their Aug. 22 preseason game.
The kick traveled one yard farther than the official NFL record, but Butker did not take the record from Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little. Because the 69-yarder came during the preseason, it does not count toward the league’s official regular-season records.
Butker connected from 45, 58 and 69 yards
Butker accounted for all of Kansas City’s first-half points. He made field goals from 45 and 58 yards before the Chiefs sent him out for the 69-yard attempt just before halftime.
He converted the long kick to give Kansas City a 9-0 lead. The NFL’s video of Butker’s 69-yard field goal shows the successful attempt against Tampa Bay.
Why isn’t Butker’s 69-yarder an NFL record?
The official NFL record remains 68 yards, set by Jacksonville’s Cam Little against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 2, 2025.
Preseason statistics are separate from official regular-season records. That means Butker’s 69-yard make cannot replace Little’s 68-yarder in the record book. Had Butker made the same kick during a regular-season game, it would have exceeded the current record by one yard.
Cam Little has made an even longer preseason kick
Butker’s 69-yarder is also one yard short of Little’s longest preseason make. Little converted a 70-yard field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2025 preseason, but that kick did not qualify for the official record either.
The recent long-distance marks put the record picture into perspective: Little made 70 yards in the 2025 preseason, Butker made 69 in the 2026 preseason, and Little owns the official record with his 68-yarder from the 2025 regular season.
Before Little, Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker held the record with a 66-yard field goal against the Detroit Lions in 2021. Tucker had surpassed Matt Prater’s 64-yard mark from 2013.
Butker’s preseason shows serious long-range ability
The Tampa Bay game continued a strong preseason stretch for Butker. He had made four field goals in Kansas City’s previous preseason game, including one from 59 yards.
After converting his first three attempts against the Buccaneers, Butker had made his first seven field-goal attempts of the preseason.
His night against Tampa Bay was not perfect, however. He later missed an extra point and a 43-yard field-goal attempt. The Buccaneers eventually came back to beat Kansas City 16-15.
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Why the 69-yard kick matters for the Chiefs
The bigger takeaway for Kansas City is what Butker’s range could mean once regular-season games begin.
A 69-yard field-goal attempt generally corresponds to a line of scrimmage around the opponent’s 41-yard line after accounting for the snap, hold and end zone. In certain end-of-half or late-game situations, the Chiefs could now consider a field-goal attempt from territory where many teams would otherwise try a Hail Mary or another offensive play.
Wind, weather, field conditions and the consequences of a miss would still influence any decision to attempt such a long kick.
Fans preparing for the wider football calendar can check the Clemson and South Carolina 2026 football opener schedule for upcoming dates and kickoff information.
Whole team was HYPED for this 69-yard FG by Harrison Butker 🗣️
— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/O2B9LRknli
Could Butker break the record in the regular season?
Saturday’s kick demonstrated that Butker has the leg strength to threaten the record, but Kansas City would still need the right game situation to give him an attempt from 69 yards or beyond.
If Butker converts from 69 yards during the regular season, he would surpass Little’s 68-yard official mark. A successful 70-yarder would equal Little’s preseason distance while establishing a new regular-season record.
For football fans tracking major games throughout the season, the College Football Playoff schedule and results provides another useful look at the broader football calendar.
Butker therefore leaves Tampa with something more meaningful than an unofficial record: evidence that if the right opportunity arrives during the regular season, a legitimate NFL-record attempt could be within his range.
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