Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer team together one last time in Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Neither player is on the Bills roster any longer. But Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer took the field together again, proudly wearing Buffalove on their sleeves.
Poyer, in his first local appearance since getting released by the Bills in March, received an ovation from nearly 15,000 fans Sunday at Sahlen Field in downtown Buffalo, where he participated in Hyde's charity softball game.
"It was really surreal," said Poyer, who will report for his first voluntary minicamp with the Miami Dolphins on Monday. "I didn't know what to expect coming out here today, but Bills Mafia showed out as always. It was just really cool to see the support from the fans out here. It's not goodbye, it's see you later, so it was just fun to come out here and support Micah."
Poyer gave an appreciative farewell address to Bills fans when introduced by Hyde as "my guy coming all the way from the 305 to participate," before taking his swings in the home run derby.
"Thanks so much for allowing me to grow as a person, a player, as a teammate," Poyer said. "I loved every minute of it. Sorry we couldn't get it done. But you've got the best quarterback in the league. I get to see ya'll twice a year. I can't wait. You guys come down to Miami. I get to come back to Orchard Park one more time."
Hyde said after spending the past seven years playing next to Poyer in Buffalo's defensive backfield, having him in the same dugout Sunday was meaningful.
"You know, he told me a couple days ago he was going to be able to make it, and I was like, yes!," Hyde said. "You know, I've always tried to keep it to current players, you know current guys on the team. I'm not even on the team right now, so we made an exception for Po also to come down and swing the bat a little bit. It means the world man. It's not only, obviously, on the football field, it wasn't just 23 out there -- 21 played a huge part in how I was performing. For him to be here and be committed to the off-the-field stuff, the foundation stuff, like I am with his, means the world, man. That's my brother for life."
Taking over Buffalo's ballpark for the fourth time in five years, with a pregame tailgate party and grandstands full of Zubaz attire and football jerseys, Sunday's game raised more than $625,000 for Hyde's Imagine For Youth Foundation. More than 30 Bills players played in the game. Josh Allen won his third home run derby crown, and the offense came back in the final inning to secure its first victory in the series.
"It means the world for just the guys showing up, obviously it's all voluntary," Hyde said. "Taking time out of their day, the whole community showing up, donating money, and that way we can give it to some kids in need or other organizations within the community here.
"This game means everything to us. I don't want to be biased, but this is our, within the foundation, our favorite event, just because we get in front of the crowd. Players love it. Coaches love it. It's just a fun event."
Hyde reiterated he is still uncertain about his football future.
"I just want to be healthy," Hyde said. "I’m enjoying my time with the family. And if there’s a case where I can get back on the football field, I would love to do it. Especially in this uniform, in front of these fans. It would mean the world to me and my family to be able to do that. But you know, it’s a ways away. I woke up a few times last couple weeks with sore necks."
At the end of the event, Allen grabbed the microphone and led the crowd in chanting "one more year!"
Hyde cheekily promised that, "we'll have this softball game one more year."
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.