Spencer Shrader relishes rare opportunity with Chiefs special teams

At some point, the bubble will burst. Harrison Butker will recover from his injury and will return to the Kansas City Chiefs active roster. He'll resume his duties as the team's kicker and that will leave Spencer Shrader on the outside looking in on the Chiefs' active roster.

Until then, Shrader is doing all he can to soak up the experience.

Shrader is a short-term replacement for Butker, who is on the Chiefs' injured reserve list following surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee. He's already been on the team for two games and he's likely got at least two more, but the postseason is rapidly approaching, and Shrader knows the bell will toll for him soon enough.

The Chiefs interim kicker is doing his best to take it all in while he's with the defending champs.

After losing Butker, Shrader, who was on the practice squad of the New York Jets, joined the team. Even with the Jets trying to convince himsnasdfasdfasdfasdfdnsfmmmm to stay with an offer to join their active roster as well, Shrader said he still wanted to take advantage of the opportunity in Kansas City.

"I just wanted to be around an elite staff, elite group of players, people in support roles, like our equipment staff is amazing. Like everyone's very on top of things here. Everyone's very structured and organized. And I just wanted to be a part of that, see what that was like, see what it took to win at the highest level."

On Sunday, Shrader made his presence felt, even in the interim, with a dynamic day kicking the football. Not only did he make every extra point but he also converted all three field goal attempts, including the game-winner as time expired to put the Chiefs over the Panthers on the road in a much closer-than-expected win.

When asked about the game-winning kick and the emotions surrounding such a huge moment, Shrader said the whole affair made him appreciate the window of opportunity in K.C.

"I think the biggest emotion in that moment is gratitude for the opportunity and just happy that I was able to go out and perform for the team. When you join an organization like the Chiefs, there's a championship culture and there's a standard to uphold.

"And so for me, I just wanted to come in and do my best for the team for as long as I'm here. And, you know, I was grateful to be put in a situation today, you know, to step up and, you know, put a couple points up there. But that's a team effort at the end of the day. So just really grateful for the opportunity, grateful to be a part of this team."

Shrader explained to reporters folllowing the game that he knew such a moment might come his way if the Panthers kept things close.

"I tried to prepare myself before that. You know the talent of the guys on the team. You know who your quarterback is. You know who your offensive weapons are. And so I knew that I'd be getting an opportunity. So I just tried to stay calm, understand that it was going to come at some point. And then when it did come, you know, I was ready. But that comes from belief in the team that they're going to get you in that situation. And then you go out there and just knock it through."

While Shrader knows he's unlikely to be around for the team's postseason run, the chance to be a part of the sustained success was worth it.

"Whether I get an opportunity to, you know, put the icing on the cake doesn't really matter because I'm gaining value either way, just by being a part of this place, just by being in this organization."