Taylor Swift Fans Flood Bills K Tyler Bass With Donations: 'Don't Bully Our Friend!'
Despite some of the "bad blood" that's been built between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs over the past few seasons, the negativity that surrounded Buffalo's loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional on Sunday appears to be healing a bit with some love and band-aids, unlike bullet holes would.
Cheesy puns about Taylor Swift and her "Bad Blood" hit aside, the pop icon's presence at Highmark Stadium for the game in support of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has sparked her passionate and cult-like fans to show their true colors toward the Bills, particularly kicker Tyler Bass.
Bass missed a potential game-tying 44-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed Buffalo's fate. The Chiefs picked up one first down and escaped with a 27-24 win.
Whether right or not, the weight of the loss fell on Bass' shoulders. Fans had their frustrations and rightfully so, but things got out of hand quick when some decided to send Bass death threats. He deactivated his social media accounts as a result.
But since the loss, the Ten Lives Club - a non-profit cat rescue in Western New York that Bass has previously partnered with - has received over $260,000 in donations, per spokeperson Kimberly LaRussa.
“We stand with Tyler Bass. Don’t bully our friend,” LaRussa told TODAY in an interview. " ... There are a lot of Swiftie groups out there that are rallying and donating on behalf of Tyler Bass."
Swift's relationship with Kelce means that most "Swifties" are likely part-time Chiefs fans (long-term relationship status pending), and have no obligation to show the Bills any support. But despite some of the negativity that all the Taylor Swift focus has received in the NFL this season, seeing the fans show that kind of support should change a few hearts.
“People are just making comments and sharing nice words about Tyler Bass in their donations,” LaRussa said. “And we’re just blown away right now."
