The Kansas City Chiefs found themselves in a pretty unenviable position on Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals. The team scored a touchdown late in the first quarter to make the game 13-0, but their ultra-reliable kicker, Harrison Butker, suffered an ankle injury that caused him to leave the game and miss out on the extra point.
The catch: Kansas City has one hell of a backup plan, and it’s not someone who normally is involved in kicking the football in any capacity. Justin Reid, the former Houston Texans safety who joined in free agency this summer, grew up playing soccer and is known for having one heck of a leg, so he tagged in, nailed the extra point, and handled kicking duties until Butker returned later in the game — he ended up going 1-for-2 on PATs.
Some behind-the-scenes footage gave a glimpse into the series of events leading up to Reid’s first two kicks, from the moment he learned he might have to go in to Patrick Mahomes’ reaction to his handling of kickoff duties. It is a delight.
This behind the scenes video of safety Justin Reid kicking for the Chiefs is awesome. pic.twitter.com/2a3AeGWXco
— Patrick Allen (@RPatrickAllen) September 13, 2022
No one has ever been cooler than Reid when he learned that he’d have to go in to kick. But the best part is Mahomes, who is in total awe of the fact that a safety kicked a football out of the end zone in spot duty for one of the best kickers of all time.
