Matt Prater Bio
Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American professional football placekicker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long-distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for the longest field goal at 64 yards from 2013 until 2021 and holds the NFL record for most 50-plus-yard field goals in a career with 82. He played college football for the UCF Knights and was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006.
Across more than two decades in professional football, Matt Prater has built a reputation for exceptional leg strength and consistency in pressure moments. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, a one-time Second-team All-Pro, and a former Second-team All-American at the collegiate level. His sustained accuracy on long-range kicks has made him one of the most respected specialists of his era.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Phillip Prater was born on August 10, 1984, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. He grew up in Florida, where he attended Estero High School in Estero after transferring there from Cypress Lake High School during his sophomore year. Playing for the Wildcats, he developed into a strong kicking prospect and handled both place-kicking and punting duties for the team.
During his high school career, Prater converted 56 of 58 extra point attempts and made 14 field goals, including a 49-yard kick. He also produced touchbacks on 84 percent of his kickoffs, demonstrating the leg strength that would later define his professional profile. He earned second-team All-State honors, first-team all-conference recognition, and All-Southwest Florida distinction, and was selected to the second-team Dream Team before graduating in 2002.
Path to American Football
Prater’s path to professional football began at the University of Central Florida, where he joined the UCF Knights in 2002 and handled kicking and punting duties for four seasons. As a freshman, he made an immediate impact with a 53-yard field goal against Penn State, signaling the kind of distance that would become his trademark. He finished that first season converting 44 of 47 extra points and 14 of 21 field goals.
By his sophomore year in 2003, Prater was leading the nation in punting with a 47.9-yard average and earning All-American recognition. He set school and Mid-American Conference records while excelling as both a kicker and punter, converting all four of his field goal attempts from 40 yards or longer. Although a leg injury cut his 2004 season short, he returned for his senior campaign in 2005 and finished his collegiate career ranked among UCF’s all-time leaders with 50 career field goals and 258 career points.
Matt Prater Career
Early Career (2006-2007)
Matt Prater signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2006, after his college career at UCF. He made field goals of 22, 44, and 48 yards in a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, but was released on August 27 when veteran Jason Hanson held the job. He spent the remainder of the 2006 season as a free agent, working out briefly with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
The Miami Dolphins signed him to a future contract on January 11, 2007, though he was released that August when Jay Feely won the kicking competition. After another short stint on the Dolphins’ practice squad in November 2007, Prater signed briefly with the Atlanta Falcons but was released on September 18 after struggling with accuracy, including missing two field goals against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He later joined the Denver Broncos’ practice squad on December 19, 2007, beginning the longest and most defining chapter of his early NFL career.
Denver Broncos Breakthrough (2007-2014)
Prater became Denver’s starting kicker in 2008 after Jason Elam signed with the Falcons, and he quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier long-distance specialists. On September 28, 2008, he drilled a 56-yard field goal at the Kansas City Chiefs, the third longest in team history and the longest by a Broncos kicker on the road. He finished that season converting 25 of 34 field goals despite early accuracy issues, and earned his first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Through 2009 and 2010, Prater continued to refine his game, earning a new contract in March 2010 before a groin injury ended his season in December. He bounced back in 2011 with one of the most memorable performances of his career, kicking a 59-yard field goal with three seconds left to tie the Chicago Bears and then a 51-yard kick to win in overtime. He signed a four-year franchise-tag deal in 2012 and reached his peak in 2013, when he set the NFL record for the longest field goal in league history with a 64-yard kick against the Tennessee Titans on December 8, 2013, as time expired in the first half.
That 2013 season earned Prater his first Pro Bowl selection and a Second-team All-Pro designation. He also set an NFL record for extra points in a single season with 75 and appeared in Super Bowl XLVIII, a 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. His Denver tenure ended on October 3, 2014, when the Broncos released him after a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, with the team turning to Brandon McManus.
Detroit Lions Second Stint (2014-2020)
The Detroit Lions signed Prater on October 7, 2014, making him the team’s third kicker in just over a month. In his Detroit debut at TCF Bank Stadium, he converted only one of three attempts on a windy day but still helped secure the win over the Vikings. Two weeks later in London, a missed 43-yard attempt was re-kicked from 48 yards due to a delay-of-game penalty, and he drilled the second try to beat the Atlanta Falcons. He finished 2014 converting 21 of 26 field goals.
Prater signed a three-year, $9 million extension in March 2015 and became one of the most accurate kickers in football. On January 3, 2016, he set the Detroit Lions franchise record for the longest field goal with a 59-yarder against the Chicago Bears. The 2016 season was his most decorated as a Lion, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week three times, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, and his second career Pro Bowl selection as an alternate. That year he also set NFL records for consecutive field goals of 50-plus and 55-plus yards, streaks that extended into the 2017 season.
Across his second stint with the Lions, Prater remained a steady presence, signing another three-year extension in October 2017. He set the NFL record for most career field goals of 50 yards or more on January 3, 2021, capping his Detroit return. He also briefly handled punting duties after an injury to Kasey Redfern in 2017 and even threw a 14-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal against the Green Bay Packers in 2018.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2021-2024)
Matt Prater signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 17, 2021, and quickly resumed his role as a long-distance threat. Although a 68-yard attempt to break his own record against the Jacksonville Jaguars fell short, he earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice in 2021, including in Week 17 after accounting for 13 points in a win over the Dallas Cowboys. He finished that season converting 30 of 37 field goals and 47 of 49 extra points.
In a shortened 2022 campaign, Prater appeared in 13 games and converted 22 of 25 field goal attempts and 17 of 18 extra points. He signed a two-year extension on March 14, 2023, and opened the year by earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 3 after a 62-yard field goal against the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the first half. The 2024 season ended abruptly when Prater suffered a torn meniscus in his plant leg ahead of Week 5 and was placed on injured reserve on October 15, 2024.
Buffalo Bills Era (2025-Present)
On September 4, 2025, the Buffalo Bills signed Prater to their practice squad after an injury to kicker Tyler Bass. Three days later, on September 7, Prater made all three of his field goal attempts, including a 32-yard kick as time expired to lift the Bills past the Baltimore Ravens 41-40. He was signed to the active roster on September 9, 2025, marking the start of his tenure with the Buffalo Bills and continuing one of the longest careers of any active placekicker in the NFL.
Driving Style and Strengths
Matt Prater’s game has always been built around exceptional leg strength, particularly in high-altitude or open-air venues that allow him to attack from beyond 60 yards. His preparation as both a kicker and punter at UCF gave him a refined sense of trajectory and distance control. His career accuracy on long-range kicks, combined with his poise in late-game situations, has made him a trusted option for game-winning attempts throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Prater’s most iconic moment came on December 8, 2013, when his 64-yard field goal against the Tennessee Titans set the NFL record for the longest kick in league history, a mark that stood until Justin Tucker broke it in 2021. He also set the NFL record for most career field goals of 50-plus yards and currently holds the league record for most 50-plus-yard field goals in a career with 82. Two Pro Bowl selections, a Super Bowl appearance, and multiple Special Teams Player of the Week and Month honors round out his list of career milestones.
Matt Prater Career Wins
Matt Prater has built one of the most consistent long-range résumés in NFL history, with multiple game-winning kicks and conference-level weekly awards spanning nearly two decades. While exact career win totals tied directly to his kicks are not fully summarized in available records, his impact on team success is documented through his two Pro Bowl nods and his numerous Special Teams Player of the Week selections across both conferences.
NFL Highlights
Prater’s first signature win as a professional came in 2011, when his overtime 51-yard field goal beat the Chicago Bears after a tying 59-yarder in regulation. He added a 28-yard game-winner against the Dallas Cowboys in 2013 and multiple game-winning kicks during his second stint with the Lions, including a dramatic 48-yard re-kick in London in 2014. His most recent high-profile win came on September 7, 2025, when his 32-yard field goal as time expired beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in his Buffalo Bills debut.
Other Performances
Beyond the NFL, Prater earned Second-team All-American honors as a sophomore punter at UCF in 2003, when he led the nation with a 47.9-yard punting average. He was also named the ESPN Sport Science Newton Award recipient in 2014, recognizing his standout athletic performance during that season.
Matt Prater Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Matthew Phillip Prater grew up in Florida after being born in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Publicly available details about his parents and broader family background are limited, and he has kept most of his personal life private. He has built a long and stable career across multiple NFL cities, including Detroit, Denver, and Phoenix.
Personal Life
Prater keeps his personal and family life largely out of the public eye. He is known by his full name, Matthew Phillip Prater, and has been active on social media under the handle @mattprater5. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is widely regarded in NFL circles as a dedicated teammate and a steady presence in locker rooms across the league.
2025 Season Performance
Matt Prater entered the 2025 season as a free agent after his release from the Arizona Cardinals following a 2024 injury. The Buffalo Bills signed him to their practice squad on September 4, 2025, after an injury to starting kicker Tyler Bass, and promoted him to the active roster just five days later following a flawless debut. In his first game with Buffalo, he converted all three field goal attempts, including the game-winning 32-yarder to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40.
The early returns suggest that Prater’s veteran presence has stabilized the Bills’ kicking game during a pivotal stretch of the season. His accuracy on shorter kicks, combined with his proven ability to connect from long range, gives Buffalo a flexible option in close contests. His NFL record for most career 50-plus-yard field goals remains a key part of his value as the season progresses.
Looking ahead, the 2025 outlook for Prater and the Bills hinges on maintaining health and consistency in a competitive AFC playoff picture. If his early production holds, Prater could play a meaningful role in Buffalo’s postseason push, adding another chapter to a career already defined by record-setting performances and clutch kicks.