1. Bills safety tandem talks shop with Ed Reed
What do you get when you put two Bills safeties and a G.O.A.T in the same room? Good conversation and good television, of course.
That's exactly what happened last week when Hall of Fame safety, and former Bills assistant defensive backs coach, Ed Reed returned to One Bills Drive. The NFL great, who spent the majority of his iconic 12-year career with the Baltimore Ravens where he won Super Bowl XLVII, was on-site to film an episode of "NFL: The Grind." An EPIX and NFL Films weekly series, the show is hosted by Rich Eisen and takes viewers through a variety of on and off the field topics around the league.
While at the facility, Reed met up with Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Featured in the episode titled "Week 10: Take Your Pick" that debuted last night, Wednesday, Nov. 13, the conversation between the trio proved inspiring for the Bills veterans.
Recognizing the rarity of their interaction with Reed, Hyde and Poyer certainly made the most of it.
"It was cool. [It] was my first time meeting him," said Hyde. "Obviously, you know, I grew up watching Ed Reed and all the plays he's made and just him being a Hall of Famer [is special]…It's awesome hearing his perspective going into games and kind of his mindset [from] when he was in his prime... [He] kind of gave me and 'Po' some tips on how to prepare, how to go about [playing in] the league…and it really gave us a lot of confidence, honestly. It did.
"Me and Po walked away looking at each other like, 'Man Ed Reed knows who we are. Ed Reed thinks we're the best safety duo in the league.' That says something. You know, a guy that has been around the block [and] knows his football and he's giving us high praise like that. But at the same time, you know, he let us know that we need to continue to work and continue to prepare. It's going to take a lot to be the best and to lead a good defense."
After his time in Western New York, the episode follows Reed and fellow NFL Legend Charles Woodson to Cleveland, where they offer unique insight on the Bills-Browns matchup. To watch the piece and for more information on the series, visit here.
2. Jordan Phillips tackles fatherhood
For Bills fifth-year defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, 2019 is shaping up to be a year he'll always remember. While putting up career numbers on the field, including six sacks, Phillips is also hitting major milestones in his personal life. This offseason, while vacationing in scenic St. Lucia, Phillips pulled off the ultimate romantic surprise when he popped the question to his girlfriend, Lauren Gray.
Since then, it's been quite an adventure for the couple, and wedding planning isn't all that's on their agenda.
Recently, the duo shared another exciting announcement on their Instagram accounts. Not only are they getting set to tie the knot, they're expecting!
In a world where elaborate gender reveals are all the rage, the happy couple kept it sweet and simple, posting that their little bundle of a joy will arrive in April. A proud father to an adorable toddler named Malik, Phillips will soon welcome a baby girl to his team.
Phillips isn't the only Bills player with a baby on the way, however. Micah Hyde, Matt Barkley, Mitch Morse, Ike Boettger and Dion Dawkins are all eagerly anticipating new additions to their families as well.
