Harrison Butker made NFL history by becoming the most accurate kicker in league history despite being on injured reserve. Entering Week 13, Butker ranked third on the all-time accuracy list, but his competitors, Justin Tucker and Eddy Pineiro, faltered during their games, allowing Butker to ascend to the top spot. Notably, Butker hasn’t played since November 10, making his rise even more remarkable.
The dramatic shift unfolded during Sunday’s games, where both Tucker and Pineiro missed crucial kicks. At the start of the day, Pineiro led the all-time list with an accuracy rate of 89.74%, followed by Tucker at 89.37%, and Butker at 89.21%. Pineiro’s two misses in the first half of Carolina’s loss to Tampa Bay caused his accuracy rate to drop, allowing Tucker to briefly take the lead by halftime.
Tucker’s strong first half for Baltimore gave him the top spot, with an updated accuracy rate of 89.42%, while Butker remained second at 89.21%. Pineiro fell to third at 88.43%. However, the third quarter proved disastrous for Tucker, as he missed two field goals—one from 47 yards and another from 53 yards—leading to another reshuffle in the rankings.
By the end of the third quarter, Butker reclaimed the title as the NFL’s most accurate kicker without even stepping onto the field. The updated standings showed Butker at 89.21%, Tucker at 89.03%, and Pineiro trailing at 88.43%. Tucker’s struggles continued, as he missed a career-high three kicks, including an extra point, in Baltimore’s narrow 24-19 loss to Philadelphia.
The final standings after both games solidified Butker’s position at the top with an 89.21% accuracy rate. Tucker’s missteps left him at 89.03%, and Pineiro managed to slightly improve to 88.52% after a fourth-quarter field goal. The day marked a rare and chaotic reshuffling, with three different kickers holding the accuracy crown at various points.
Butker, still on injured reserve until at least Week 15, is poised to hold the record for the foreseeable future. For Tucker to reclaim the title, he would need to make his next eight consecutive field goals, while Pineiro would need to hit seven without a miss. For now, Butker’s precision keeps him atop the NFL’s all-time accuracy leaderboard.
