Jordan Poyer reflects on time with Bills, is 'excited to play them twice' with Dolphins

Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer had nothing but positive things to say about his time in Buffalo.

Jan 22, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) reacts before an AFC divisional round game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has described the mindset he operated with throughout the 2024 NFL offseason as an “infusion of youth,” as a concerted effort to recenter his perennially competitive team around a core of young(er) players in an attempt to reset and extend its championship window.

The “infusion,” naturally, coincided with the departures of several key veterans, stalwart starters who have logged significant snaps for the Bills throughout the past several seasons. Tre’Davious White, Stefon Diggs, Mitch Morse, and Gabriel Davis were among the tenured players who left One Bills Drive this spring, but perhaps no departures more greatly tugged on the heartstrings of the Buffalo faithful than those of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.

The safeties, who both signed with the Bills in the 2017 NFL offseason, have formed a dynamic duo in the team’s defensive backfield over the past seven seasons, combining for 202 starts, three All-Pro selections, and two Pro Bowls throughout their time in Western New York. That type of continuity at the safety position is rare in and of itself; that length of prolonged excellence is almost unheard of.

Related: Who Would've Thought?: Former Bills WR Stefon Diggs already misses Texans OTAs

But both now find themselves without contracts in Buffalo; Hyde may ultimately re-sign, but Poyer’s departure is confirmed, as he signed a one-year deal with the division-rival Miami Dolphins shortly after being released by the Bills. Buffalo fans will see the 33-year-old don the despised Miami teal and orange in two matchups next season, and Poyer has already circled the dates on his calendar.

“They’ve gone through a lot [of turnover],” Poyer told Miami reporters after a slight laugh at the team’s voluntary OTA practices this week. “I’m excited to play them twice, that’s for sure.”

It’s a massive shift for Poyer, who is now a member of the team whose struggles he’s had a vested interest in for the better part of the last decade. It’s a change he could sense coming, however; though he signed a two-year extension with the Bills in the 2023 offseason, he had an inkling throughout the 2023 campaign that his time in Buffalo was quickly coming to an end.

“I did but didn’t,” Poyer said. “I still had a year left on my contract. Didn’t really know how that was going to go down, and it really all happened so fast. I was in Costa Rica on vacation during the time when I got cut, and essentially a couple of days later, I got signed in Miami. 

🚨 INTERCEPTION 🚨

Jordan Poyer gets the pick for the Bills ❌pic.twitter.com/yfV5rsavKW

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 20, 2022

“Really all happened so fast, I didn’t know necessarily what to expect. I knew Micah wasn’t going to come back—at least for right now, he might come back. But for me, I just wanted to continue to play football again. I know I can still play at a high level, I know I can still help teams win football games.”

Though now a member of a division rival, Poyer wishes no ill will to the team he notched 682 tackles and 22 interceptions for, nor to their coaches, players, or fans. In fact, he had the opportunity to bid Bills Mafia a proper farewell at Micah Hyde’s Charity Softball Game this past weekend, telling fans that he “loved every moment” of his time in Western New York. Poyer spoke about the moment to Miami reporters.

“It was cool,” Poyer said. “It was kind of surreal, really surreal moment. There’s not a lot of people, I don’t think, that get to kind of go get a sendoff, in a sense. I spent seven years out there, loved every moment of it, loved my teammates, my coaches, the fans. But it’s a really cool opportunity for me to be here now. 

Related: Bills' Two New WRs reveal what makes Josh Allen so likable

“I get goosebumps thinking about playing them twice a year, and just the idea of winning the AFC East and hosting a playoff game and winning that playoff game. I remember what it was like in 2017 when we were in Buffalo and the Bills hadn’t been to the playoffs in X amount of years, and then we finally got there, and then we finally won it.”

Poyer created a viral moment at the fundraising event when he called Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen “the best quarterback in the league.” He doubled down on his sentiment ahead of Dolphins’ OTAs, but also expressed love for Miami signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa.

“I love Tua, that’s one of the big reasons why I’m here, because he is who he is,” Poyer said. “Look, Josh, I’ve been his teammate for seven years. I’ve seen so many plays that he has made. You could argue Aaron Rodgers, Tua, Josh, [or] whoever you want to argue, but at the end of the day, that’s my dog. I love Josh. I cannot wait to play him, but I love Tua, too.”