Tyler Bass’s Botched Kick Is a $250,000 Win for Buffalo Cats

After Buffalo Bills’ kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying field goal in last weekend’s playoff game, he was bombarded with so much hate from disgruntled fans he deactivated his social media accounts. But then a favorite charity of Bass’s – cat-adoption center Ten Lives Club in Blasdell, New York – came to his defense.

“Tyler doesn’t deserve any of the hate he’s receiving,” TLC said on Instagram. “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.”

The fans not only left Bass alone, they started sending their money to TLC in solidarity. The adoption center saw an opening, so it began asking for $22 donations (as a nod to Bass’s jersey number 2), and the money started pouring in. “Our phones are ringing off the hook from people who want to donate $22 to Ten Lives Club in Tyler’s name,” they posted.

The cat-loving club quickly raised over $250,000 in Bass’s honor. “We are just so blown away and so grateful,” TLC public relations manager Kimberly LaRussa tells WBEN NewsRadio. “This means the world to allow us to save so many cats, and we are so grateful right now.”

Bass has been a friend to the non-profit cat adoption group for a couple years. “We have a huge photo of Tyler and one of our kittens framed in our shelter lobby so everyone can see it as soon as they walk into the shelter,” LaRussa tells People magazine. “We just wanted everyone to know what a great guy he is.”

The great guy had no idea that when he botched that kick, it would save cats’ lives.

Photo credits:Ten Lives Club via Instagram