(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
A photo of new Cleveland Browns running back Nyheim Hines signing his contract has quickly gone viral…but for a rather peculiar reason.

Last week, the veteran running back signed a one-year deal with the Browns worth up to $3.5 million, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The NC State product missed the entire 2023 season as a member of the Buffalo Bills after tearing his ACL in a freak jet ski accident in the offseason.

As noted by the ML Football X/Twitter account, the 27-year-old Hines looks about 30 years older than he really is in this image. We triple-checked, and yes, Nyheim Hines he won’t turn 28 years of age until November 12.

And so, as you could have guessed, social media was full of jokes as the image of Nyheim Hines went viral:

Perhaps it was just a long travel day for Nyheim Hines when he made the trek to sign his contract? At least Hines managed a smile, because it’s hard to complain about a $3.5 million payday coming your way.

Nyheim Hines joins a Browns backfield led by superstar Nick Chubb and third-year RB Jerome Ford, who posted over 1,000 yards of offense as Cleveland’s RB1 with Chubb out for most of the year.

Nyheim Hines’ Career Stats

A fourth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018 (104th overall), Nyheim Hines spent his first four seasons with the AFC South club before getting traded to the Bills in 2022.

His best season came in 2020, when Hines racked up 862 total yards of offense (380 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 63 receptions, 482 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns). On top of that, Hines had 300 punt return yards and 70 kick return yards.

For his career, Nyheim Hines has 1,202 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 240 receptions, 1,778 receiving yards, eight receiving touchdowns, 1,015 punt return yards and 817 kick return yards.