Butker's 69-yard boot fuels debate over NFL ball changes and scoring era
Harrison Butker drilled a 69-yard field goal in the Chiefs' preseason game, used by the piece to spotlight a controversy: ball changes and new kicking rules are inflating distances and boosting scoring. Vic Fangio compared the shift to a steroid-era claim in baseball, arguing the K-balls and altered kicking process have drastically changed field goals. The article notes rises in 60+ yard attempts and a longer average field-goal distance since 2024, arguing this trend risks producing more points with less exciting football even as kickers routinely convert longer kicks.