Butker’s 69-yarder eclipses NFL record, but preseason status leaves it off the books

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker produced a 69-yard field goal during a preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a distance that exceeds the current National Football League record. The attempt was executed with under 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter, following a fourth-down stop by the Chiefs’ defence that halted the Buccaneers’ drive.

Despite the kick surpassing the 68-yard mark held by Jaguars kicker Cam Little, it will not be officially recognised in the NFL record book. This exclusion is a direct result of the league’s classification of preseason games, which means the official record remains unchanged for now.

The power of the kick was evident as the ball hit the net behind the field goal posts, suggesting the trajectory had the potential to clear a 75-yard attempt. Butker also converted 58-yard and 45-yard field goals in the same match, though he missed a 43-yard attempt in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ 16-15 loss.

In the broader context of American football history, Butker’s 69-yarder is tied for the second-longest field goal made in an actual game. The only longer kick on record is a 70-yard attempt by Cam Little during the 2025 preseason. The other 69-yard field goal in history was kicked by Abilene Christian’s Ove Johansson in 1976.

The surge in kicking distances is partly attributed to the NFL’s implementation of the "K-ball" rule last season. This regulation allows teams to break in footballs during practice, a change credited with adding five to 10 yards to kicking distances compared to the previous system where teams received new balls only on game day.

With Butker’s career regular-season long standing at 62 yards, the preseason performance offers a glimpse of potential for the upcoming season. As the league continues to utilise the new ball-breaking protocols, the threshold for the longest field goal in NFL history may continue to rise.