The 2024 NFL season is well underway, but even the 10-1 Kansas City Chiefs continue to make changes. One of their latest moves was to bring back a familiar face for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
On Tuesday, the Chiefs announced the signing of kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad. The 28-year-old is starting his third stint in Kansas City, where he already worked close to Reid and Mahomes in 2022.
Wright’s return to Kansas City comes as an insurance for Spencer Shrader. The former New York Jets kicker missed Tuesday’s practice with a hamstring injury, and looks questionable for the Chiefs‘ Black Friday Game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 29.
Wright’s experience with Reid, Mahomes’ Chiefs
Wright’s two previous stints at Arrowhead came in the same year. The UCF product went 8-of-8 on extra points and 3-of-4 on field goals in two appearances with the Chiefs in Weeks 4 and 5 of the 2022 NFL season.
Matthew Wright #4 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after kicking a field goal during the second quarter of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.
In November 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers poached Wright off the Chiefs’ practice squad as Kansas City had already recovered Harrison Butker. But Wright was released only a month later, paving the way for a return to the Chiefs.
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The Pennsylvania native rejoined Kansas City’s practice squad in January 2023, but that second stint didn’t last more than a month. Eventually, Reid and Mahomes led the Chiefs to Super Bowl LVII victory in February.
Wright, who had already played for three different NFL teams until then, went on to work for four more franchises throughout his career. Since then, he’s gone 10-of-10 on extra points and 15-of-18 on field goals in six games.
Wright’s NFL experience could be useful for Chiefs amid injuries
Needless to say, the Chiefs will need Wright to keep up with that production in case they need him on Friday. Shrader’s absence looks like a huge blow for Reid and Mahomes, who found in him a reliable alternative for Butker.
The 25-year-old shone in two starts witn the Chiefs, going 6-of-6 on extra points and 3-of-3 on field goals, including the game-winner against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12.
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Let’s keep in mind that the Chiefs signed Shrader off the Jets’ practice squad immediately after placing Butker on Injured Reserve as their starting kicker hurt his left knee before Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills.
Now, it appears that the Chiefs will need to rely on a third different kicker in the 2024 NFL season. Fortunately, it’s still a familiar name for the team.
