Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater is back in the NFL, taking over for an injured Tyler Bass right now. Prater has been around the NFL for some time, though. Kicking game winners, like he did in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, is nothing new.
But Prater is rather long in the tooth for being an NFL player. He’s seen players come and go in the league for some time.
How Old Is Matt Prater?
Would you believe that Prater is 41 years old?
He’s currently in his 19th season in the NFL after playing for the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, and the Bills. Prater spent seven seasons both with the Falcons and Broncos, four seasons with the Cardinals, one year with the Falcons and now, in his first year with the Bills.
He earned two Pro Bowl selections in 2013 and 2016, while finishing as a second-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2013. Prater has proven to be a reliable kicker throughout his career and Buffalo being able to get him right now is a big plus for their high-powered offense behind quarterback Josh Allen.
“You NEVER stopped playing.” 🗣️
Bills HC Sean McDermott delivers the game ball to Matt Prater. pic.twitter.com/BgtHqq5Rtl
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 8, 2025
In Thursday night’s 31-21 win over the Miami Dolphins, Prater missed a 39-yard attempt wide left with 6:09 left in the second quarter. But Prater redeemed himself with a fourth-quarter 48-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the game.
Prater was out of the league, simply enjoying his life. But the Bills had a need, and Prater answered their call. He’s made 414 field goals in his career, with the longest kicks being 62 and 64 yards, respectively.
Allen, back on Sept. 7 after beating the Ravens 41-40 on Prater’s game-winning field goal, was asked about when he met Prater. “Honestly, I met him in the locker room two days ago,” Allen said.
The QB connection between Josh Allen and Matt Prater 🙌 pic.twitter.com/VTRO49KKrI
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2025
“He showed me a video of his son playing quarterback,” Allen said. “That’s how we met. And today, before the game, he comes up to me in the locker room before we even take the field. He just said, ‘Hey, I promise you I’m going to give you everything I got tonight.'”
When asked about the conversation, Prater had some cute things to say. “Yeah, my son plays quarterback,” Prater said. “I actually am an assistant coach for his team back in Arizona. And that’s actually what I was doing when I got the phone call, was writing practice out for the kids. I kind of passed off those duties.”
Prater had a role in Thursday night’s game against the Dolphins, making a field goal late en route to a victory. The Bills are now 3-0 for the season, 2-0 at home, while Miami falls to 0-3, 0-2 on the road.
