Do NFL Teams Have Backup Kickers?

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will play an important role in Super Bowl LVII.
(AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

NFL teams are certainly allowed to keep a backup kicker on their roster, but most teams elect not to.

That decision can have a big impact on NFL betting lines from time to time. 

By rule, NFL teams can only keep 53 active players on their roster during the season. As injuries pile up over the season, most teams are unwilling to roster a backup place kicker. 

It’s far more likely that they’ll need that spot for depth at a critical position (or special teams coverage) than it is that a kicker will be hampered by long-term injury.

Most teams keep one kicker, one punter and long snapper, but no other specialists. 

That said, some teams may have a non-specialist utility player who can kick fields in a pinch. For instance, when Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker was injured early in the 2022 season, they let backup safety Justin Reid handle a few kicks.

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About the Author Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.