Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin knew Nyheim Hines would eventually return at least one kickoff for a touchdown after the Indianapolis Colts traded Hines to Buffalo in November.
“You’re gonna take one,” Hamlin told Hines during practices following the transaction, per NBC Sports’ Peter King. “I can feel it.”
Hines proved Hamlin right by returning the opening kickoff of what became Sunday’s 35-23 win over the New England Patriots 96 yards to the house for a score less than one full week after the safety went into cardiac arrest in Cincinnati last Monday night. Interestingly, Bills head coach Sean McDermott admitted to King following Sunday’s victory that he would have deferred had Buffalo won the coin toss.
Hines is likely glad McDermott never had an opportunity to make such a decision because the 26-year-old went on to produce more fireworks in the third quarter of Sunday’s encounter:
