KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It's a story becoming quite regular for Browns kicker Cade York in just over a season in the NFL.

York has a chance to be a hero late in the game for the Browns. However, when he goes out there, the kick is either missed or blocked, preventing the Browns from winning.

An inevitable scene follows in the locker room where York's teammates and coaches stop by, offering words of encouragement to the 23-year-old kicker. It's a scene that only annoys one person — York — more than it does Browns fans.

"To be honest, people gave me pats on the back and crap like that, but I hate pity," York said after his go-ahead 43-yard field goal was blocked by Phil Hoskins with 57 seconds remaining in a 33-32 preseason loss Saturday to the Kansas City Chiefs. "Pity pisses me off. I want to be a weapon. I know how good I am. That's been the most frustrating thing the last month, struggling with that. So, the real games starts soon. Just trying to take a running start into the season and just start putting them through all the time."

It's the second consecutive game York had a chance to give the Browns a lead with less than two minutes remaining and didn't make the kick. It opens up even more questions about whether or not he will actually be there when the real games start Sept. 10.

This is part of the same preseason in which York has been virtually perfect on practice attempts.

“Yeah, with young players, you constantly try to get better in every single practice and every single game," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "As we talk about, taking that practice field to the game. We’re obviously going to continue to work at it. I know he wants to finish that kick and finish it for his team. I know he’s working very, very hard.”

Stefanski once again side-stepped a question about York's future.

“I think any roster decision, at any position, those are things that we’ll talk through," Stefanski said.

A week ago in Philadelphia, York missed a 47-yard field goal that could've broken an 18-18 tie. That miss was negated by an Eagles penalty, but he also missed the subsequent 41-yarder to leave the Browns with a tie.

This time, it was a chance to potentially win it after the Chiefs had taken a 33-32 lead on Harrison Butker's 44-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining. That kick came after York had given the Browns a 30-29 lead with a 40-yarder with 4:19 remaining.

York bristled when asked about wanting the opportunity to go back out there.

"C'mon man, that's like six questions," York said. "Of course I freaking wanted to put it through."

This time, it wasn't a straight miss, as had been the other misses this preseason. Instead, Hoskins got a paw up and deflected it off target.

Long snapper Charley Hughlett wasn't sure what allowed Hoskins to get through to block the kick.

"I obviously want to make sure I wasn't getting driven back or anything like that," Hughlett said. "... Not sure where it got tipped. ... Obviously, I just want to see the ball go through the uprights."

York wasn't matter-of-fact in what he saw on the play.

"I saw it not go through the uprights," York said. "That's all I saw."

That's all that ultimately matters. It doesn't matter if it's missed wide right like his first three preseason misses went — although the last one didn't technically count due to an Eagles penalty — or just barely left, like his do-over kick after the flag in Philadelphia, or just gets blocked.

The end result is the end result. Those results have been, to say the least, frustrating for all involved, even as they try to lift York's spirit.

"I mean, you can always tell him he’s doing a great job," said safety Juan Thornhill, who gave the Browns a first-quarter lead with his interception return for a touchdown. "Things go wrong sometimes, everyone makes mistakes. He just has to continue to work. Those things are going to play out the way you want them to."

After an up-and-down rookie season, York entered the preseason looking to show why he was selected in the fourth round in 2022. Instead, the preseason has been even more rocky, as he finished — officially — 4-of-8 on field goals and 8-of-8 on point-after kicks.

However, penalties negated one miss in each category. The missed PAT came after Thornhill's pick six when the Chiefs' Jaylen Watson ran into York's right leg as he followed through on the kick.

That also led to a moment where the Browns thought they may be without a placekicker for the rest of the game. York remained down on the ground for a moment with what the team called a shin injury, although he returned in time to make the PAT on the next score less than two minutes later.

"No, it ended up being fine," York said. "I got rolled up on. I think I was just scared when it happened more than how bad it really hurt. Ended up being lucky that it didn't get worse, but it was all good. I ended up just kicking through it."

The only kick York didn't participate on was the subsequent kickoff after that touchdown. Punter Corey Bojorquez handled it.

York initially went into medical tent after the injury, but was back on the field for the next PAT try after Deshaun Watson's 10-yard TD pass to David Njoku. According to sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala during the Browns' television broadcast, the reason he was not out for the one kickoff was due to York not being able to find his helmet.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'Pity,' questions all that Cade York's left with after blocked kick