The Kansas City Chiefs activated Harrison Butker from injured reserve on Saturday and released fellow kicker Matthew Wright.
Butker, who is eligible to kick in Sunday’s game at Cleveland, has been on IR since Nov. 14. He missed four games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and returned to practice this week.
In his place, the Chiefs used Spencer Shrader and Wright, who combined to hit 11 of 12 field goals and eight extra-point attempts.
Wright was named the NFL’s special teams player of the week after he connected on a 31-yard game-winning field goal on the final play of the game last Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. The kick clinched the ninth consecutive AFC West title for the Chiefs.
Butker, 29, has not played since the Chiefs’ 16-14 home win over the Denver Broncos on Nov. 10. He is 18 of 20 on field-goal attempts (long of 53) and 21 of 22 on extra-point attempts this season.
For his career, the three-time Super Bowl champion has converted 89.2% of his field goals and 94.6% of his PATs. Butker needs 25 points to become the third player in Chiefs history with 1,000.
Also on Saturday, the Chiefs (12-1) downgraded left tackle D.J. Humphries to out due to a hamstring injury. He initially was listed as doubtful.
They also activated linebacker Swayze Bozeman and tight end Anthony Firkser from the practice squad.
Butker’s return will come against the Browns, a team that is going through its own kicker shuffle.
Cleveland appears poised to make a kicking change, as the team elevated Riley Patterson from the practice squad.
Patterson was signed on Wednesday, days after incumbent Dustin Hopkins missed two kicks in the Browns’ Week 14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Patterson kicked in three games for Cleveland late last season after Hopkins sustained a hamstring injury.
Information from ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi and Field Level Media was used in this report.
