ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Throughout the 2024 season, Micah Hyde's locker with the Buffalo Bills has remained unused and his number unassigned. On Wednesday -- 13 weeks into the season -- the veteran safety made his return to the team as coach Sean McDermott said Hyde was re-signing to the practice squad.
McDermott made it clear Wednesday that Hyde will not initially be starting and that they will evaluate his role one day at a time.
"Just to set expectations, Micah is in a practice squad role," McDermott said. "We are fully confident in Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Cole Bishop, Kareem Jackson. They've all been doing a real good job for us in the roles that they are currently in. They're going to stay in those roles and Micah is in a practice squad role, so good to have him back and his family as well."
He became a free agent after his contract with the Bills ended after the 2023 season. Hyde, now in his 13th season, openly contemplated retirement and had remained unsigned. The former Bills captain made it clear that if he was to return, it would be only to the Bills.
On Wednesday, Hyde said he took time to get healthy -- mentally and physically -- at home in San Diego. He kept in touch with general manager Brandon Beane and made the decision last week.
"I just wanted to come back and do anything I could do to help," Hyde said. "If it's helping young guys understand the NFL on and off the field, older guys helping them, with what they got to do on the field, whatever it may be, I'm here to help. I'm an open book, and so I'm excited for this role, and it's a new role for me. And I'm ready to excel now."
Hyde said that he is feeling "way, way better" than when last season ended, but did say that after the last game of this season, "you can guarantee" that he will be retiring.
Hyde said that other teams had reached out to his agent, but noted the special connection he and his family have to the team, region and fanbase.
Hyde said that it was veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips -- who re-signed in Buffalo on Nov. 6 -- who helped get things moving for him to return. When Hyde texted Phillips congratulating him on re-signing, Phillips asked Hyde when he was coming back.
"I said, 'Look, man, if they need me or whatever, give me a call,'" Hyde said he texted Phillips. "I'm going to give credit to big Phil. I'm not paying him 3%, he's not my agent, but he's the one that kind of got the ball rolling and said something to Beane and obviously Beane already had a plan himself to reach out."
"No, that's OK," Phillips said on not receiving compensation. "I told him if he signs back, I just need a hug, and he gave me one yesterday."
The Bills drafted Bishop in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, in addition to signing Rapp to an extension in the offseason. Rapp and 2021 sixth-round pick Hamlin have been starters on defense the entire season.
The Bills' defense is tied for second in takeaways (24) and leads the league in the lowest total QBR allowed by opponents (50.4), while the team has already clinched the AFC East for a fifth-straight season.
Hyde spent the past seven seasons partnering with now-Miami Dolphin Jordan Poyer, starting the most games by a safety duo during that stretch (92). Poyer was released by Buffalo ahead of free agency. Both players had signed with the Bills in free agency after Sean McDermott was hired as coach in 2017.
When asked what he's looking for from Hyde, McDermott said, "I say, this respectfully, very little."
"We're in a good spot, very confident in the guys that have played there all season long and have both done a nice job," McDermott said. "Very little from the standpoint of just managing expectations is why I'm saying that, right? Very little from hey, you're going to come in and you're going to play and you're going to help. Nah, let's just take it one day at a time and let's No. 1, make sure everybody understands what his role is right now, and we'll just see.
"... It's always about the team and it's never about one person and, in this case, Micah would not want that to be in this case about him."
In Wednesday's walk-through practice, Hyde helped out as scout team running back and on the scout special teams.
An injury in Week 2 of the 2022 season led to Hyde, 33, to neck surgery that ultimately kept him out for the remainder of that season. In 2023, stingers were an issue late in the year as he missed three regular-season games, but he finished the season and playoffs.
The 2017 Pro Bowl selection is the third-most experienced player on the Bills roster (behind Jackson and Von Miller) and adds a leadership element.
"For me, personally, he's one of my favorite humans of all time," quarterback Josh Allen said. "So, to have him in the building is awesome, someone that you can talk to about not just football things, but life things. He's an honest guy. He's a smart guy. And, just having that type of person and that knowledge in our locker room has to pay benefits to us. So, obviously, he's very familiar with what we do on defense and just a great guy to have."
Hyde found a home in Buffalo after playing the first four years of his career with the Green Bay Packers, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. He recorded 16 interceptions with Buffalo and 42 passes defensed. He was a team leader.
"I'm taking it day by day, and I think that's a special thing and that's the cool thing about this new role is, I can take it day by day, I don't have to have a goal to be out there on Sunday, this weekend or next weekend or whatever it may be," Hyde said. "... So, listen, I'm here to help. I left my ego in San Diego, like I said, the goal has always been to bring a championship back here and that's always going to be the goal. Until that happens, you guys probably going to be tired of me, because after this season and I truly retire, maybe you might see me doing something else here until we get a championship."