Bills' kicker in 'a good rhythm' following adversity-riddled 2023 NFL season

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott feels as though kicker Tyler Bass has re-found his "rhythm" following a generally lackluster 2023 season.

Bills kicker Tyler Bass signs the jersey of Alex Rzepecki, 11, from Phoenix, AZ at the end of day three of the Buffalo Bills training camp. Alex, along with his mother Jennifer Rzepecki, a native of Buffalo, are proudly wearing their Water Buffalo Club hats in support of the Bills. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tyler Bass earned the affectionate nickname “Bass-O-Matic” over his first few years in Orchard Park, a reference to both a classic Saturday Night Live sketch and the near-automatic excellence with which the Buffalo Bills kicker routinely sank his kicks.

The veteran specialist was anything but ‘automatic’ throughout the 2023 campaign, however, making just 82.8% of his kicks (22nd amongst kickers with 25 or more field goal attempts). The occasional regular season miss can be overcome and forgiven, but Bass’ struggles continued into the playoffs; he was two of five in the postseason, his final miss of the campaign being a 44-yarder in Buffalo’s AFC Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that, if made, would have tied the game with under two minutes remaining.

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It was an adversity-riddled—and uncharacteristic—campaign from Bass, who was coming off a 2022 season in which he nailed 87% of his kicks and, prior to the 2023 season, hadn’t missed a postseason field goal attempt since his rookie campaign. The Buffalo faithful is, thus, left with a generally mixed opinion of Bass entering the 2024 season: they know what the 27-year-old is capable of, he just hasn’t displayed it in some time. 

Bills head coach Sean McDermott feels as though Bass has started to again find his form at training camp. He’s had his share of misses, but he’s generally grown more consistent as camp has progressed, something that makes Buffalo’s sideline boss confident that he can reach his former heights in his fifth professional season.

Bryce Zarnosky of Webster take a photo with Bills Tyler Bass after getting his football signed. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

“I really like what I’ve seen from T-Bass as he’s been out there on the special teams scale,” McDermott said. “I think he’s in a good rhythm, and getting back into a game, kicking—opportunities that we can in preseason for both Sam [Martin] and T-Bass will be important for us. You may see on some fourth downs, I decide not to go for it where I normally would just to continue to get those guys valuable reps and time on task. I’ve been overall very pleased with the day-to-day effort.”

McDermott isn’t the first Buffalo coach to praise Bass at this year’s camp, as special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley previously stated that the kicker has learned from the “adversity” he faced last year and has made both technical and mental “improvements.” Given the presence of otherworldly quarterback Josh Allen, the Bills aren’t a team that oft-looks to settle for field goals; that said, the presence of a reliable kicker is always reassuring, and Bass will look to again establish himself as one of the league’s best at his position this fall.

—Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI—

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