DENVER (KDVR) — The Buffalo Bills sneaked out a win with their new kicker, Matt Prater, against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, but the now New York player isn’t a new name, especially in Denver.
Prater was once a kicker for the Denver Broncos — and during that time, he made history.
Prater made a name for himself with the Bills after being signed to the team and arriving on a red-eye flight on Thursday, just days before the first game. With the Bills’ starting kicker Tyler Bass out on injury, the 41-year-old stepped on their home field for the first game of the season.
The Bills were down for the majority of the game against the revenge-hungry Ravens before they made a few key plays, a few being field goals. After a quick comeback in the fourth quarter and the last seconds on the clock, Prater kicked a 32-yard field goal, leading the Bills to a 41-40 victory.
Prater was carried off the field as a new Bills’ favorite, but he’s not just a name for the Bills, the Denver Broncos also know him for one of the longest field goals in history.
According to NFL records, on Dec. 8, 2013, Matt Prater lined up for the Denver Broncos on hit a 64-yard field goal just before halftime against the Tennessee Titans. While the Broncos were losing at the time, they rushed the field, as it was the longest field goal in NFL history at the time.
Since 2013, the NFL said two other field goals have surpassed Prater’s record. Justin Tucker with the Ravens kicked a 66-yard field goal in 2021, and Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey hit a 65-yard field goal in 2024.
But the moment wasn’t forgotten with Prater, even 12 years later, after the Bills’ victory. In a post-game press conference, Prater was asked if he’d been in a game as “crazy” as Sunday night’s, and Prater recalled former Denver quarterback Tim Tebow.
“We had some crazy years in Denver with Tebow,” Prater laughed.
Prater was released by the Broncos in 2014 after seven seasons, and in his 19th year in the NFL, he’s been on the Bills for less than a week and is already making a name for himself.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
