Bills Central

Tyler Bass reacts to Bills fans cheering him on through struggles

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass spoke about fans cheering him on during the team's Week 7 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Kyle Silagyi

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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Tyler Bass would be the first to tell you that his 2024 campaign hasn’t gone as he would’ve liked to this point.

The veteran kicker entered the Buffalo Bills’ Week 7 clash with the Tennessee Titans having made just 75% of his field goals and 90% of his extra points through six games. His recent woes are a continuation of his struggles from last season, as he connected on just 82.8% of his kicks throughout the 2023 campaign (22nd amongst kickers with 25 or more field goal attempts). He missed three of five field goal attempts in the postseason, his last being a fourth-quarter miss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round that would’ve tied the game with under two minutes to go.

Buffalo’s brass has reiterated confidence in the 27-year-old at every turn, but his persisting adversity forced the team’s hand last week as it signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to the practice squad. The move did not signal the end of Bass’ tenure in Orchard Park, but it did place the Bills in a position to pivot should his time of tribulation continue.

Related: Bills hilariously troll Titans on social media following Week 7 win

Never one to let a player battle adversity alone, the Buffalo faithful attempted to help Bass regain his form in Week 7, audibly cheering for him every time he took the field in an attempt to show support and love amid his woes. It’s an undoubtedly endearing story that showcases the passion of Bills fans, and you want to know the best part?

It worked.

Bass made all six of his kicks in Buffalo’s 34-10 win (two field goals and four extra points). None of his kicks were necessarily difficult for a professional kicker (with his PATs being longer than each of his field goals), but every make counts for a kicker attempting to rediscover their groove. Bills fans helped Bass do so on Sunday, and he spoke about the role they played during his postgame media scrum.

“I’m going to be honest with you, when I got out there for pregame, there was a lot of love,” Bass said, per WGRZ’s Jonathan Acosta. “It was super cool to see. The true fans really love you unconditionally, and that made me happy, man. They were there for me. They’ve always been there for me. Really, really made me happy.”

Bass’ contract is difficult for the team to get out of this season, but general manager Brandon Beane has made it clear that the team will make a switch at kicker if necessary. Making his kicks is the only way for Bass to ensure his security, and Buffalo fans played a role in his doing so in Week 7.

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Kyle Silagyi
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