Bills kicker Tyler Bass has deactivated his social media accounts after reportedly receiving online harassment and death threats for missing the potential game-tying field goal in Sunday’s divisional-round loss to the Chiefs.
Bass, like Scott Norwood before him, missed wide right in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Chiefs, adding another heart-breaking chapter to the Bills’ futile postseason legacy.
“Ultimately, you can put it on me,” Bass said. “I got to do a better job of keeping my target. I got to do a better job of playing it a little bit more left to right. I’ve been playing here long enough to know you got to do that. … It just didn’t work out. I feel terrible. I love this team and this one hurts bad.”
Some segments of Bills Mafia have attempted to rally around Bass amid the vitriol by donating to the Ten Lives Club, a no-kill cat rescue in Blasdell, N.Y. that Bass supports.
The shelter told USA Today it had received 646 donations for $14,760 as of Monday night.
“WE STAND WITH TYLER BASS. DON’T BULLY OUR FRIEND 👊 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,” Ten Lives Club posted on its Instagram page.
“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.”
Bass deactivating his Instagram and Twitter accounts shows the unfortunate side of social media.
For as much as it brings fans closer to the athletes they admire, it also gives them access to harass and share their thoughts with players on their favorites teams.
That brighter side of social media is shown in the $22 donations — since Bass wears No. 2 — to the cat shelter for which he is an ambassador.
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