Report: Chiefs elevate familiar kicker from practice squad as Butker deals with back spasms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A well-documented ankle injury to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals set into motion a topsy-turvy year for the Chiefs’ kicking unit.

Matthew Wright, who spent two weeks with Kansas City during the regular season, re-signed with the Chiefs on Friday as Butker deals with back spasms leading up to the team’s Week 18 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Wright signed on with Kansas City as a practice squad member.

Wright was elevated via standard elevation to the Chiefs active roster for Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Raiders.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Field Yates.

As Butker rehabbed his ankle and missed games -- returning in time for the Chiefs’ Week 6 matchup with the Buffalo Bills -- the Chiefs utilized two other kickers during a four-game stretch. Wright was one of the two replacement kickers, and briefly set a Chiefs franchise record for longest made field goal in Arrowhead Stadium history.

Should Butker be unable to go against the Raiders on Saturday afternoon, Kansas City will turn to the familiar face of Wright, who also kicked in four games for the Pittsburgh Steelers when their regular starter Chris Boswell was placed on injured reserve.

Along with Wright, the Chiefs activated wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to the active roster via standard elevation. Smith-Marsette has played for the Vikings and Bears so far in his two-year NFL career. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft after a successful college career at Iowa.

Kansas City plays Las Vegas on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT. A win for the Chiefs would secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs and a first-round bye.

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