After Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass got death threats for missing a critical field goal in the playoffs, football fans rallied behind his favorite cat rescue, raising more than $320,000 and counting. It’s not the first time “Bills Mafia” has made such a generous display. In fact, it’s kind of their thing.
While Buffalo Bills fans have a reputation for being some of the most intense in the league, they’ve also earned a lot of respect in the league for being a top-tier fanbase.
Here are four times a charity has been stunned by the generosity of Bills Mafia members.
Tyler Bass and his kitty cats
The Bills were eliminated from the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion Sunday, Jan. 21, when kicker Tyler Bass pushed a would-be game-tying field goal wide right. The miss secured victory for the Kansas City Chiefs and dashed the Bills’ hopes of a Super Bowl berth once again.
After deleting his social media accounts due to death threats, Bass’ favorite cat rescue — Ten Lives Club — came to his defense as football fans came to their rescue, donating $22 in Bass’ name as a nod to his number: 2.
This time, it wasn’t just Bills Mafia that stepped up. Chiefs fans dished out their fair share of donations, including Swifties-turned-Chiefs fans, inspired by cat-lover Taylor Swift’s relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
This matchup was purrfect for Ten Lives Club. The rescue group told Straight Arrow News donations exceeded $320,000 on Thursday, Jan. 26.
Honoring Josh Allen’s grandmother
In November of 2022, quarterback Josh Allen lost his grandmother, Patricia, the night before winning a game. The Bills Mafia showed up for Allen in the following weeks, donating $1 million to Oishei Children’s Hospital’s Patricia Allen Fund in Buffalo in honor of her.
Sorry about the concussion, Lamar Jackson
After the Bills beat the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 — a game where opposing quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a concussion — Bills Mafia didn’t hesitate to donate $360,000 to the Louisville chapter of one of Jackson’s favorite charities, “Blessings in a Backpack.”
The refs didn’t see the penalty
In a comical but still generous display, after losing a game over what Bills fans considered to be horrible officiating by the refs, they shelled out $40,000 to Visually Impaired Advancement, a charity that helps folks with vision loss.
Football season can get heated – even in Buffalo – but this is the type of thing that brings together lifelong sports fans.