Kansas City and Buffalo fans rallied together to raise more than $250,000 as of Wednesday — for a cat rescue charity supported by Bills kicker Tyler Bass — after he missed a field goal in the last minutes of the game that resulted in the Chiefs 27-24 victory.
Bass ended up deleting his social media after he said he received death threats following the Bills loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game on Sunday, when his 44 yard field goal attempt to tie the game in the fourth quarter went wide right, Buffalo News reported.
A New York no-kill, non-profit cat adoption agency called Ten Lives Club— that Bass has supported as the face of a previous ad campaign — took to social media on Monday and asked fans to show their support for the Bills kicker, who wears No. 2 jersey, by donating $22, CNN noted.
“WE STAND WITH TYLER BASS. DON’T BULLY OUR FRIEND,” a post on Facebook and Instagram read. “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.”
Donations surpass $260,000 to Ten Lives Club cat adoption group for Bills kicker Tyler Bass https://t.co/ohqrLSygl0
— The Buffalo News (@TheBuffaloNews) January 24, 2024
“Tyler doesn’t deserve any of the hate he’s receiving,” the post added. “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.”
Football fans began donating to the pet agency and reacted to the post making it clear that whether they were Chiefs or Bills fans, they had nothing but love for Bass.
“Donated! I’m a Chiefs fan (and a cat person), and Tyler doesn’t deserve the guff he’s getting at all,” one person wrote. “So sorry to hear about people being awful! Much love from Chiefs Kingdom.”
Another added, “Donating in honor of Tyler. I’m a Chiefs fan, but I’m also the mom of a kicker and married to a football coach. No individual person, quarterback, kicker, or any other position wins or loses a game alone, and nobody deserves the blame the way he’s getting.”
While a third shared, “True Bills Mafia (and friends ) will always circle the wagons around our own. Stop bullying our friend! Donated because Tyler Bass is fantastic and we love cats! One person doesn’t win or lose a game. Tyler hang in there — we Billieve in you!!!”
The cat rescue agency — founded in 2001 — said the response has been overwhelming, after receiving the massive amount of pledged donations in support of the Buffalo kicker.
“Donations are coming in from all kinds of football fans – Chiefs, Steelers, even Dolphins fans,” club PR manager Kimberly LaRussa told CNN.