After another bitter playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL playoffs, a beloved member of the Buffalo Bills is hanging up his cleats.
Safety Micah Hyde was a major part of the franchise turnaround, joining the team in 2017 and helping them break a 17-year playoff drought, then anchoring a strong defense that turned into a perennial Super Bowl contender.
Hyde re-joined the team late in the season and took a role on the practice squad, helping some of his young teammates prepare for the playoff run. After Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, he announced his retirement from the NFL.
Micah Hyde Calls It Quits
The Bills held a locker cleanout day for players on Monday, with several speaking to the media about the 32-29 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News tracked down Hyde, who confirmed that this was his final season in the NFL.
“This won’t come as a big surprise, but had a chance to talk with Micah Hyde today in the #Bills’ locker room. He said that he’s officially retiring and that his playing career is over,” Skurski shared in a post on X.
Hyde had been a steady presence in the Bills’ secondary since joining as one of general manager Brandon Beane’s first acquisitions in 2017. He started 95 games over the course of seven seasons in Buffalo, making a total of 417 tackles and 16 interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown.
Hyde became a free agent at the end of the 2023 season and did not immediately sign with the Bills, but said during the offseason that he would consider a return for one final season. Beane also said the Bills were open to a reunion, and the team signed the 33-year-old to the practice squad in December.
Though he was not elevated for any games during the final stretch of the season or the team’s three postseason games, Hyde did have an important role in helping rookie safety Cole Bishop prepare for a starting job. Bishop started in the AFC Championship Game after veteran Taylor Rapp suffered an injury and said Hyde helped him get ready for the challenge.
“He played in this defense for a long time,” Bishop said of Hyde, via Syracuse.com. “So things the coaches might coach, a player, you see it a little bit different on the field. He’s been able to help with that. Been trying to pick his brain about everything.”
Bills Face More Offseason Decisions
The Bills may face other important decisions this offseason, with a group of players headed to unrestricted free agency. The group includes wide receiver and special teams ace Mack Hollins, who made 31 catches for 378 yards with five touchdowns this season.
The Bills must also decide whether to bring back safety Damar Hamlin, who moved into a starting role this season and made a total of 89 tackles with two interceptions.
The team had already parted ways with a series of key veterans last offseason, releasing cornerback Tre’Davious White along with center Mitch Morse in a series of cost-cutting moves.
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Fan-Favorite Bills Player Announces Retirement After Chiefs Loss