By Mitchell Courtney / Contributing Correspondent
Prior to the start of the 2017 season, Bills fans were unsure of what they might get out of Jordan Poyer at the safety position.
Poyer and fellow free agent acquisition, Micah Hyde, proved to be a dangerous tandem rather quickly; with Poyer posting five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 95 total tackles, and 13 passes defensed.
Unfortunately, his performance in 2017 did not earn him a nod to the Pro Bowl.
“I feel like I always play as an underdog,” said Poyer. “I always have that mindset. I am not upset about it; I realize that I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Poyer’s underdog mentality likely stems from his early days in the NFL.
As a seventh-round pick by Philadelphia in 2013, he was released in Week 7 of that season.
After playing a significant, but not glamorous role in Cleveland for four seasons, Poyer signed a four-year deal in Buffalo on March 9th, 2017; reuniting him with assistant defensive backs coach, Bobby Babich.
Babich’s relationship with Poyer is undoubtedly one of the biggest reasons for his success in Buffalo.
“Bobby Babich has been my coach for a long time, and he has high expectations for me, so I try to set the bar high” Poyer said.
One aspect of Poyer’s life that cannot be understated, is the impact of his family’s athletic bloodlines, and their moral compass as a whole.
His mother, Julie, played college volleyball at Eastern New Mexico University; and his grandfather played basketball at Poyer’s alma mater, Oregon State.
Furthermore, his family has provided him with a sense of responsibility, both on and off of the field.
“I already have high expectations of myself,” said Poyer. “One as a husband and a father, and another as a football player.”