Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass has deactivated all his social media accounts after receiving harassment and death threats over his missed kick in the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday.
Tyler Bass Deletes Social Media Amid Threats
Bass missed a potential game-tying kick against the Chiefs in the fourth quarter during the Bills’ 27-24 Divisional Round loss.
The missed 44-yard field goal was wide right and gave Kansas City the ball at their 34-yard line with a three-point lead and 1:43 left on the clock. The Chiefs were able to get a first down and seal the game.
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“Ultimately, it’s completely on me. I’ve got to do a better job of getting through to my target,” Bass said. “I’ve got to do a better job of playing it a little bit more left when you have a left-to-right [wind]. I’ve been here long enough to know that you have to do that. You know, I was trusting my line that I had in warmups. Hit a good ball, but it didn’t work out.
“I feel terrible, you know? I love this team, and it hurts. This one hurts bad. Yeah, I’ve got to do a better job. Totally on me.”
Bass finished the regular season and postseason with the lowest field goal percentage of his four-year career (76.5%).
For the second time in three years, the Bills’ season ended in the Divisional Round. It extended the team’s postseason record against Patrick Mahomes to 0-3.
“I wish [Bass] wouldn’t have been put in that situation,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “You win as a team, you lose as a team. One play doesn’t define a game. It doesn’t define a season. I know people are going to be out there saying that. We got to be there for him because again, we execute a couple of plays prior, probably singing a different tune right now.”
Leading up to Bass’ attempt, Allen had two incompletions from the Kansas City 26-yard line, wrapping up a 16-play, 54-yard drive that yielded no points.
Allen went 26-of-39 passing for 186 yards and a touchdown in addition to rushing for 72 yards on 12 carries with two rushing scores.
“Wide right” are two words that will send a shiver down any Bills fan’s spine as former kicker Scott Norwood had the opportunity to win Super Bowl XXV with a 47-yard field goal but pushed the kick outside the uprights.
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Even if Bass had made the kick, there were still nearly two minutes on the clock and the Chiefs had all three timeouts. So, there’s no guarantee that Buffalo would have won, but they would have had a chance.
Despite this, fans were still unhappy. After receiving hate on social media and allegedly receiving threats, Bass has gone completely dark, deleting his Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, accounts.
To combat the negativity, the Ten Lives Club is raising money in the kicker’s name.
In a social media post, the cat rescue and adoption group wrote: “We just heard the terrible news that Tyler Bass is receiving threats after yesterday’s game and our phones are ringing off the hook from people who want to donate $22 to Ten Lives Club in Tyler’s name.
“Tyler doesn’t deserve any of the hate he’s receiving. He’s an excellent football player and an even better person who took the time to help our organization and rescue cats last year. Leave our friend alone.”
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