Jordan Poyer & Micah Hyde have “some unfinished business to do”

The man Bills Mafia calls All-Pro Po was back in Orchard Park, NY on Thursday to sign his new, two-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. Safety Jordan Poyer, always an engaging listen, gave the media nearly a half hour of his time.

The Bills 2022 season was rife with profound trauma, both on the field and off it within the community. Poyer, to his credit, played hurt all season long and did so because he loves his teammates so much. The man drove to Kansas City because he wasn’t cleared by doctors to fly due to broken ribs that made breathing difficult. Even more incredible than the commitment to drive? His commitment to play, which may be unmatched.

As the 2022 season ended, it felt as though Poyer had played his last game in Highmark Stadium. Free agency was on his horizon with no deal in place to stay with the Bills. The day after Buffalo’s season-ending home playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Poyer said he felt done. Then came the Pro Bowl Games, which reinvigorated him. Now, that horizon Poyer faced a short while ago is in his rearview mirror — and Poyer appears refreshed and ready to go.

“I’m home now and this is where I’m gonna finish my career. And I’m really happy about it,” said Poyer.

Poyer’s been an integral part of Buffalo’s defensive plans since he signed with the team back in 2017. He and Micah Hyde soon formed what is now the most formidable safety tandem in NFL.

Listening to Poyer on Thursday, it’s clear that Buffalo was calling him back the entire time. Even despite his candid, off-the-cuff comments about taxes and sunlight, and whatever else that makes life away from life in Western New York different and appealing to so many.

When it comes to Micah Hyde, it’s clear how important he is to Poyer. Hyde’s bond with Poyer for certain was one of the key factors in Jordan’s decision to return home.

“I just felt like we had some unfinished business to do. You know, he got hurt last year early on in the season. It was hard to lose him. Like I said, because we feed off each other, we play off each other. We know what each other’s thinking. We know the conversations that need to be had, post-snap, pre-snap, during snap, so when it kinda breaks up like that (Hyde’s season-ending injury) and you kinda get thrown off, it makes it a little harder. To hear the happiness that he had in his voice knowing that I was coming back...it took stress off of both of us. If I didn’t come back, he’s out here playing — you know D-Ham’s coming back, and it’s gonna be like it was for me this year — except I’m not gonna be able to be coaching him from the sideline ‘cause I’ll probably be somewhere else. He was able to coach me all season long, and that was something that I really respected. He could’ve gone and did his rehab somewhere and did his surgery somewhere, but he came back to be a part of the team to kinda keep me — I mean, dude, if he wasn’t there...I’d of probably had a couple mental breakdowns ‘cause it was tough. The middle of the year comes around, you’re trying to just trying to get ready for Sunday and your body’s just hurting. Your elbows are hurting, your foot’s hurting, your ribs are hurting — @#$%^&@ two broken ribs — you can’t even breathe. So he was somebody that...a huge reason why I was excited to come back and play — and this organization — because I get to play with Micah Hyde again.”

Poyer seems to light up at the idea of mentoring and coaching Buffalo’s defensive youth the way Joe Haden and Donte Whitner were for him all those years ago.

Poyer isn’t quite ready to put a date on his retirement, but did acknowledge one factor that could influence his decision. “No timetable on an end. I’d like to get a championship. If we get a championship this year, maybe I’ll ride off into the sunset.,” said Poyer. Remember, Poyer’s a former seventh-round pick who’s played 11 season in the NFL. Phenomenal.

In the end, all Jordan Poyer wanted was to be happy. And happy is Orchard Park, the Bills, his teammates, the community, and all the relationships he’s built the last six years.

“Nothin’s missing. Just finish. Bring Western New York a trophy,” exclaimed a now-content Poyer.

You can watch Jordan Poyer’s full press conference in the tweet embedded below.