Ex-Buffalo Bills S Jordan Poyer: "Its surreal to be a Dolphin...I can't wait to come to Orchard Park this year."
![Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) celebrates after Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) celebrates after](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4573,h_2572,x_0,y_474/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/si-temp/01hw170rsqgz07p7wgw3.jpg)
Jordan Poyer is no longer with the Buffalo Bills, but that doesn't stop Poyer from professing his admitration and respect for Buffalo and the Bills Mafia.
Poyer recently made a guest appearance on a recent 'Centered on Buffalo' podcast, hosted by former Bill and current Bills radio color commentator Eric Wood.
"There's no animosity towards the organization or the people in Buffalo. The love is always going to still be there. I've enjoyed my time in Buffalo."
Until next time, @J_poyer21. #Billsmafia Watch full episode here: https://t.co/TiTp0nhL6o pic.twitter.com/6kC6ZMd65j
— Centered on Buffalo (@thebuffalopod) April 18, 2024
'I'm really in a a dolphins facility right now?'...it's just it's surreal. My last seven years I've been in Red White and Blue.. Buffalo Bills...Bills Mafia!"
After a successful seven years as a safety and leader with the Bills, this offseason Buffalo released the veteran safety in a slew of salary cap cutting moves. Poyer then signed with the rival Dolphins on a one year $2Million deal.
By releasing Poyer, the Bills save $5.7 million in much-needed cap space.
According to Over the Cap, Poyer received a $1.25 million base salary from Miami, including $500,000 guaranteed, a $500,000 signing bonus and $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses. His deal will count $1.99 million against the Dolphins 2024 cap.
As a Buffalo Bill, Poyer and Micah Hyde formed one of the best saftey tandems in the league. Poyer was most recently selected as an All-Pro for the 2022 season, and expressed to Eric Wood that he is remains motivated to compete. Although Poyer will be 33 this coming season and has shown some wear and tear over the past two years, he was able to play 16 games in 2023 after playing only 12 in 2022. He also was extremely durable through his tenure in Buffalo, starting 15 games in 2017 and all 16 regular season games from 2018-2021.
Poyer: "Surreal to be a Dolphin"
Poyer explained that, after 7 years leading a Bills organization, it has taken some adjustment to switch to representing the teal and orange: "I was foam rolling yesterday and I'm just looking around, like man 'I'm really in a a dolphins facility right now?'...it's just it's surreal. My last seven years I've been in Red White and Blue.. Buffalo Bills...Bills Mafia!"
Appreciation For The People Of Buffalo And The Bills Organization
When Wood asked Poyer about his favorite memory when he thinks of his time in Buffalo, Poyer did not hesitate and immediately reflected on his positive relationships with the fans and Bills organization: "I can sit here all day [to] talk about my appreciation for the people of that organization, my teammates, [the] people in that city. I've been able to grow as a player. I came there [and] nobody really knew who I was. I was able to really establish my football career in Buffalo."
"I know the true people in Bills Mafia, the true people in the community...I love them and there's so much love that I have for them. It's it's not a good bye see you later.... it's just sports...don't take it too serious. There's no animosity towards the organization or the people in Buffalo. The love is always going to still be there you know. I've enjoyed my time in Buffalo."
On Bills Mafia: "there's there's nobody, nobody [that] can top what Bills Mafia has been able to accomplish...jumping off tables and and fires and bowling balls and all sorts of crazy stuff! So y'all keep it up... y'all keep the fandom up... I can't wait to come to Orchard Park this year for sure."
The Support He Received Overcoming His Alcohol Addition
"What's more important to me is the ability for them to have allowed me to grow as a person off the field. Most of Buffalo has seen me at my my lowest of lows coming [to the team] in 2017 and really not having a clue who I was as a person, going through a lot at the time, not understanding I was going through a lot...but I was going through a lot...alcoholism, my relationships, just so much stuff off the field that was going on that I didn't know how to how to handle. So being able to grow off the field. I came sober in 2020 [and] a lot of people welcomed me with open arms. when I came out and talked about my my alcohol addiction there's so many people in that community that wrap their arms around me, that allowed me to continue to grow, and to understand that [life is] not over...you can still become something."
On Joining the Rival Dolphins & Being A Leader
Poyer explained his approach to joining a new team and connecting with teammates, stating "it'll be interesting ...but I'm excited it's just all about evolving and and continuing to evolve as a person [and] as a player. Their are going to be new connections, new teammates, new faces that I'm going to get to learn about, learn about their families, learn about who they are as people and also as players. Ultimately we all want to win a championship and so in order to do that you know you got to connect as a team, come together as a team. I'm excited for those relationships I get to build."
"Football is a sport that you find relationships and you have these relationships for a lifetime."
"You're in the division for seven years and you get cut by Buffalo... you go to the rival in Miami. It's a good football team down here in Florida. I could be one of the pieces to help him get over the hump. What a cool opportunity to come over here. This team hasn't won a playoff game in 20 years...you come here you...win a playoff game... Miami might turn upside down. "
"The [Bills] have done it for six out of seven years in Buffalo, so I'm going to try to come and bring some of the things that I've been able to learn over the years and help. Also learn from them as well. I'm coming here with a open mind, open heart to just continue to learn and and and grow and evolve."
WATCH: POYER'S PICK SIX AGAINST BRADY IN 2017.
As Eric Wood noted, Bills fans will remember Poyer as the leader and player that the Bills' needed to help turn the organization around starting in 2017. He led the Bills defense and helped the Bills secure playoff appearances in six of his seven years with the team, winning the AFC East the last 4 straight years. Its nice to see that the love and respect between Poyer and the Bills community is clearly mutual.