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Paul Johnson missed Harrison Butker’s game-winner: ‘I fell asleep’

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker greets fans following an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Butker kicked the go-ahead field goal as the Kansas City Chiefs won 29-20. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Credit: Ed Zurga

Credit: Ed Zurga

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker greets fans following an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Butker kicked the go-ahead field goal as the Kansas City Chiefs won 29-20. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
By
Oct 3, 2017

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson was happy for the success of former Yellow Jackets kicker Harrison Butker in his NFL debut. He didn’t see Butker’s game-winner for the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football live, however.

“I didn’t see the end, because I’m too old,” said Johnson, who turned 60 in August. “I fell asleep.”

Butker, Tech’s all-time leading scorer, kicked the game-winner from 43 yards out to beat Washington just before 11:45 p.m. Monday night. Butker had signed with the Chiefs last Tuesday off of the Carolina Panthers practice squad.

“He’s gifted,” Johnson said. “He’s really good and pressure doesn’t seem to bother him, or never here. He made a lot of big kicks, so happy for him and hopefully that’ll give him a good jump start into being their kicker for a long time.”

About the Author

Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.

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