The NFL preseason showcased a remarkable feat as Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs nailed a 69-yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night. Despite this impressive kick surpassing the NFL record of 68 yards, it won't be officially recognized due to preseason regulations.

Butker's kick, which cleared the crossbar with ease and likely would have been successful from 75 yards, came after the Chiefs' defense halted a Buccaneers drive. With just three seconds left in the second quarter, Andy Reid opted to send Butker onto the field after Jake Browning's incomplete pass on a fourth-down attempt.

In this game, Butker successfully hit three field goals (69, 58, and 45 yards), although he missed a 43-yarder later in the match, resulting in a narrow 16-15 loss for Kansas City.

Notably, Butker's 69-yarder ties him for the second-longest field goal in football history, joining:

• Cam Little (70 yards, Jaguars, 2025 preseason)
• Ove Johansson (69 yards, 1976)

Both Butker and Little have achieved these distances with the ball kicked off the ground, marking a significant distinction from previous records set with kicking blocks.

With his powerful leg, Butker's career long in regular-season play stands at 62 yards, hinting at potential record-breaking opportunities this season. The NFL's new K-ball rule, which allows teams to break in footballs before games, has contributed to the trend of longer kicks, prompting discussions about future record-breaking distances. Darrin Simmons, Bengals special teams coordinator, noted that this rule could continue to enhance kicking distances, raising expectations for kickers league-wide.