Buffalo Bills RB Nyheim Hines changing jersey number for 2023 NFL season

Nyheim Hines — the Buffalo Bills’ newly anointed special teams phenom who ran not one, but two, kickoffs back for touchdowns in the 2022 season finale against the New England Patriots — has taken advantage of a new rule passed by NFL owners this offseason.

The running back, who moonlights as a kick returner — or maybe he should be listed the other way around — has officially changed his jersey number to the just-approved No. 0.

Hines joined the Bills at last year’s trade deadline after general manager Brandon Beane struck a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. He entered the lineup wearing the No. 20 jersey, however he seemed impressed by the new rule and took to Twitter to lay claim to his interest in wearing the zero.

Hines isn’t the only Bills running back who’ll have a new, lower number when the team takes the field for the 2023 season. James Cook switched from the No. 28 jersey he wore for his rookie season to the No. 4 jersey — the number he wore in college and the same number his brother, Dalvin Cook, wears for the Minnesota Vikings. Jaquan Johnson, who was with Buffalo from 2019 through 2022, had the No. 4 jersey when Cook joined the Bills. But Johnson signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as a free agent last month, freeing up Cook’s new number.

Time to get the duct tape and markers out. Or start ordering those new threads early. Hines and Cook could be the new “running back by committee” duo that replaces Devin Singletary (who left in free agency to join the Houston Texans) and Zack Moss (who was part of the Hines trade with Indianapolis last year).