Former Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines waited more than two years to return to the football field after a freak injury, but now he’s making the most of his opportunity.
Hines joined the Los Angeles Chargers after the team was hit with a spate of injuries to their backfield, earning an immediate call-up from the practice squad and making a big first impression. He will get another opportunity to shine, with the Chargers announcing on Thursday that he was being elevated again for the game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Nyheim Hines Burst Back Into the NFL
Hines signed with the Chargers’ practice squad on Oct. 12, filling in after the team placed first-round pick Omarion Hampton on injured reserve. The Chargers had already lost veteran running back Najee Harris to a season-ending Achilles tear, giving Hines the chance to step into a major role on special teams.
Hines made a big impression in his first week, taking a kickoff return 40 yards to spark a game-winning field-goal drive against the Miami Dolphins. He was also elevated in last week’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Through two games, Hines has seven kick returns for 195 yards.
Thursday’s game marks the third call-up for Hines, leaving him with no more elevations and forcing the team to either sign him to the active roster or release him. Given the tenuous situation in the backfield and the important role Hines has assumed, the Chargers may be more inclined to keep him on the roster.
Nyheim Hines Had Challenging Tenure in Buffalo
Hines became a popular player with the Bills after he had a pair of kick-return touchdowns in a 2023 win over the New England Patriots, a game that took place less than a week after safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after taking a hard hit against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hines was set to return to his role the following season, but suffered a freak accident when he was struck on a jet ski and suffered a torn ACL. The veteran running back missed that season and spent the 2024 season on injured reserve again after signing with the Cleveland Browns.
The running back had some friction with the Bills after his injury, with his agent lashing out at the team while the two sides were negotiating an injury settlement. Hines later smoothed things over, saying he was happy with the team and hoped to return to Buffalo the following season.
ESPNâs Adam Schefter reported this summer that Hines was still aiming to make an NFL comeback, though he didn’t see much interest until getting a workout with the Chargers earlier this month.
âNearly two years to the date that he tore his ACL in a jet-ski accident, Nyheim Hines is looking for a chance to play in his first NFL game since 2022, when he returned two kicks for touchdowns in the same game for the Bills,â Schefter wrote. âHines believes his knee finally is ready for a return to action and he is looking for a new training camp home.â
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ex-Bills RB Gets More Good News After Unlikely NFL Comeback appeared first on Heavy Sports.