Nyheim Hines is back in the NFL
Two years after a personal water-craft collision left him with a torn ACL and threatened to end his football career, Hines has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Terms of the deal weren’t initially reported. But Hines is back in an NFL training camp after a two-season absence from professional football.
Hines joins a Chargers backfield that features first-round rookie Omarion Hampton and former Steelers Pro Bowler Najee Harris. Hines projects as a third-down back and pass catcher out of the backfield who can also return kicks if he ultimately makes the 53-man roster.
(Nic Antaya via Getty Images)
Hines, 28, last played for the Buffalo Bills in 2022. The Bills traded for Hines midseason that year in a deal that sent running back Zack Moss to the Indianapolis Colts. The first-place Bills added Hines as a change-of-pace weapon to a backfield that had already featured James Cook and Devin Singletary.
A third-down back with more career receiving yards (1,778) than rushing yards (1,202), Hines played sparingly in Buffalo’s offense in nine games for the remainder of the season. He was a force on special teams and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in a single game in a season-finale win over the New England Patriots.
Personal water-craft collision threatened Hines’ career
Hines was expected to take on a larger role for the Bills in 2023 in his first full season after Singletary left for the Houston Texans in free agency. But the offseason accident sidelined him for the entire season.
Just before training camp in 2023, Hines was sitting stationary on a personal water craft when another rider hit him, according to the Associated Press. The accident left Hines with a torn ACL in his left knee. He spent the entire 2023 season on injured reserve.
Hines then signed with the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2024 season, but was never elevated to the active roster while still recovering from the injury. The Browns released him in February.
Hines worked out for the Chargers on Monday and impressed them enough to earn a contract. He’ll join a run-focused offense led by offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who previously oversaw the Baltimore Ravens’ run-heavy attack before joining the Chargers last season.
A fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Colts, Hines played his first 3 1/2 NFL seasons for Indianapolis.
