Who is the Chiefs' kicker? Spencer Shrader replaces injured Harrison Butker

There's a new kicker in town.

The Chiefs will be once again living life without Harrison Butker, who landed on injured reserve with a knee injury. That means for the next four games, at least, Kansas City will get to see what life is like without one of the game's best.

Butker became the NFL's highest-paid kicker in August, when the team signed him to a four-year, $25.6 million deal. He has converted 18-of-20 field goal attempts in 2024, with both misses coming from more than 50 yards out. Now the Chiefs will turn to a rookie, with just two games of NFL experience.

Here's what you need to know about Butker's injury and who will be replacing him.

Who is the Chiefs' kicker?

Spencer Shrader, a 25-year-old rookie, is the first kicker to audition for Butker's spot on the team.

Shrader was signed off the New York Jets practice squad on Thursday and is expected to make his Chiefs' debut in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills. The rookie made his debut in Week 1 as a member of the Colts, when he converted on all three of his extra point attempts before losing his roster spot to Matt Gay, who returned from injury.

His next cameo came as a member of the Jets in Week 10, when he finally had a chance to kick something other than an extra point. Shrader went 2-for-2 and earned some praise from special teams coach Brant Boyer, who said Shrader handled the situation well before adding he has a ton of talent.

Shortly after that, Shrader was signed by the Chiefs. The Jets never kept the kicker on the active roster, allowing Kansas City to swoop in.

Shrader kicked for South Florida and Notre Dame in college before going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Colts signed him as an undrafted free agent, which was the first of his three stops in the league so far.

Harrison Butker injury update

The Chiefs placed Butker on IR on Thursday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Butker is expected to have surgery to trim the meniscus in his left knee, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

By placing him on IR, Kansas City affords the kicker to have at least four games to rest and recover. The earliest Butker can return is on Dec. 15 in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns.

When did Harrison Butker hurt his knee?

It's unclear when Butker injured the knee, but he did pop up on the Chiefs' injury report on Thursday after being listed as limited with the issue.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is the Chiefs' kicker? Spencer Shrader replaces Harrison Butker