When Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass went on injured reserve to start the season, it was a tough blow but there was nothing to indicate he'd be out for the entire 2025 campaign.
Bass (hip/groin) was eligible to return in Week 5, but that did not happen and instead 41-year-old Matt Prater continued to hold down the fort for Buffalo.
Now, Week 6 is here and there is still no announcement that Bass is even being designated to return from injured reserve, let alone ready to play.
On Thursday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott was asked about Bass' status and offered an answer that leads us to believe there's now at least a chance the veteran kicker won't be back in 2025.
Tyler Bass injury update
On Thursday, McDermott was asked if he's confident Bass will suit up at all this season and he gave an ominous two-word response.
"We'll see," McDermott said, per Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News.
This is quite a change from McDermott's usual answer.
He has never cast doubt on Bass' ability to play this season and even went as far as to say the kicker was making progress last week. Perhaps this is just McDermott being coy amid facing weekly questions about his injured kicker.
If you want to put the old tinfoil hat on, perhaps the Bills are so happy with Prater that they simply don't want to replace him with Bass just yet. Prater has been very reliable, making 10-of-11 field goals this season.
Maybe the Bills are just waiting for the wheels to come off? Or maybe Bass is actually in danger of missing 2025?
We can't say for sure, but this is an interesting turn of events.
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