Former Bill S Micah Hyde talks neck injury and playing in the future

Careers in professional football, for those lucky enough to obtain them, are fragile and can change dramatically, or even end, in the blink of an eye.

All players know that the timeline of a professional career is relatively short, but it is devastating when that timeline is further condensed by situations or circumstances beyond an individual’s control, for example injury or illness. Few people know this better than former Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde, a free agent who is currently considering his professional future as he and his family determine the best possible next step.

Hyde has been a mainstay for Buffalo since signing a deal with the team in the 2017 offseason, starting 95 games during a seven-year span in which he earned two All-Pro nominations in the second team. He became not only a beloved figure and locker room leader within the organization, but also a regional icon, serving as perhaps one of the most iconic players in the Bills’ recent rise to the NFL .

The 33-year-old has yet to determine whether he will continue to build on that legacy or end what has been, so far, an incredibly productive 11-year career. He has suffered significant neck injuries over the past two seasons, suffering a season-ending illness during a Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 season that required surgery. surgical. He returned in the 2023 season but would suffer several setbacks during the year, missing three games.

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Hyde’s recent injuries – and the impact they’ve had on his life outside of football – have rightly prompted the veteran to take a step back and assess his future. During a recent appearance on the Buffalo-centric podcast (fittingly hosted by former Bills center Eric Wood), Hyde spoke about his injury, providing some context on the specifics of the illness and why the decision regarding his future is so difficult.

“I had a fusion on the disc above, but with that comes pressure from the disc below, and so it was the disc below that got worse,” Hyde said. “Before I had surgery in Los Angeles with Dr. (Robert) Watkins, he said to me, ‘Do you want to continue playing?’ And I’m like, oh, that’s obvious, yeah He says, “Well, you can’t get a double merge, because the one on top is bad, and you have to do something to be able to play again, but that one.” from the bottom, you might risk damaging it even more if you have (surgery) just to repair the top.

“I said I want to keep playing, let’s just fix it. Last season comes around and the bottom one started behaving badly. Later, later in life, I may eventually have to have surgery that second time, but I was hoping for later in life and not two or three years.

Hyde is currently without a club, with his contract with the Bills having expired in March. Buffalo fans needn’t worry about seeing him play elsewhere, however, as he told reporters before his charity softball game last month that he would either join the Bills next season or retire . He also told the press that there was “no urgency” in determining his playing future.

If he were to return, Hyde would join a revamped Buffalo safety room that added veteran Mike Edwards and rookie Cole Bishop in the offseason. He would inject continuity and experience into a group that, in his absence, is expected to have two new starters next season, a factor that likely wouldn’t bother rookie defensive coordinator (and former safeties coach) Bobby Babich.

—Benefit from free bill coverage Buffalo Bills on SI—