Matt Prater's Game-Winning Kick Sparks Buffalo Bills' Remarkable Comeback
Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater became an instant hero on Sunday, September 7, as he delivered a game-winning 32-yard field goal against the Baltimore Ravens, clinching a thrilling 41-40 victory at Highmark Stadium.
With just over eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Ravens held a commanding 40-25 lead and were given a staggering 98.9 percent chance of winning, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Yet, the Bills rallied back, culminating in Prater's decisive kick as time expired.
At 41 years old, Prater is the second-oldest player in the NFL. He joined the Bills just days prior, signing on September 4 after starting kicker Tyler Bass was placed on injured reserve.
After his kick sailed through the uprights, jubilant teammates hoisted Prater onto their shoulders, celebrating the unexpected triumph. “I was not expecting this,” he remarked during the postgame press conference.
Prater's journey to Buffalo was swift; he arrived on a red-eye flight from Arizona early Thursday morning. “I’m still on cloud nine,” he expressed, reflecting on the whirlwind week that led to his moment of glory.
Despite the spotlight on him, Prater humbly deflected praise for the comeback. “It wasn’t me, it was everybody,” he stated. “I just have to swing my leg; they’re doing everything else, the hard parts.”
His quick connection with teammates was evident. Bills quarterback Josh Allen shared, “I met him two days ago in the locker room, and he showed me a video of his son playing quarterback. Before the game, he came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I promise you I’m gonna give you everything I got tonight.’”
Head coach Sean McDermott was still processing the game’s events. “This one will be one of those stories that are told for a long time,” he noted. “I’m sure people are gonna wake up and think, ‘Wait, did that happen?’”
Punter Brad Robbins added a light-hearted touch, recalling that Prater was a rookie when he was just eight years old. He even requested a special jersey from the team’s equipment manager as a keepsake. “I can have Prater sign it. A Prater Bills jersey is going to be like a rarity. It’ll be pretty sweet,” Robbins said.
