Even before the start of their training camp, the Buffalo Bills already have their first huge problem. Nyheim Hines suffered a knee injury and is out for the season. Although many teams are starting their training camps at this point of the offseason, the injury happened off-site.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, Hines was involved in a jet ski accident. Reports say that the Bills player was sitting stationary on a jet ski when another rider struck him. He sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, including a season-ending knee injury. The running back will require surgery and is officially out before the training camp.
Hines, 26, joined the NFL in 2018. After playing four-and-a-half seasons in Indianapolis, with the Colts, he moved to Buffalo on the trade deadline day of the last season. So he spent the second half of last season playing for the Bills.
When he joined the team it was clear that he wasn’t going to get many chances on his primary position, running back. With James Cook and Damien Harris on the depth chart, he wouldn’t be involved much in the rushing game plan. And he wasn’t. He got his best highlights last season returning kicks.
In fact, he got his best moment in Week 18. A few days after Damar Hamlin collapsed and almost died in Week 17, the Bills played their last regular season game at home. And amidst all tributes to Hamlin, Buffalo beat the Patriots 35-23. And Nyheim Hines simply returned two kickoffs for touchdown, including the opening kick.
Nyheim Hines
As mentioned, the RB/KR joined the league in 2018 after being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth-round, with the No. 104 pick, out of NC State. So far in his career, he played 81 games, and as a running back he recorded 306 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns. Receiving passes he has 240 catches for 1,778 yards and another eight TDs. And finally, returning kicks Hines has this number broken down:
Punt returns
- 89 attempts
- 1,015 yards
- 2 touchdowns
Kickoff returns
- 32 attempts
- 817 yards
- 2 touchdowns
