Miami Dolphins huge receiver Tyreek Hill made headlines on Sunday when he appeared to take himself out of the crew’s Week 18 sport towards the New York Jets, then indicated after the sport he’s trying to transfer on from the Dolphins. Hill, talking to the media instantly after Miami’s 32-20 loss to New York, stated, “ For me, I’ve to do what’s finest for me and my household. If that’s right here, or if that’s wherever the case could also be. I’m fixing to open that door for myself. I’m opening the door. I’m out. It was nice enjoying right here, however on the finish of the day, I’ve to do what’s finest for my profession.”
That didn’t sit effectively with Dolphins followers. For Dolphins gamers, they appeared to wish to hold away from the drama, even when they didn’t agree with Hill’s feedback.
Hill, elected as a crew captain, completed the yr with 81 receptions for 959 yards and 6 touchdowns. It marked the primary time he was beneath 1,000 yards receiving since an injury-shortened 2019 season. This was additionally the primary time in his profession Hill was not chosen to the Professional Bowl. Hill, it appears, didn’t take effectively to his low statistical efficiency this season, including in his post-game feedback, “I’m an excessive amount of of a competitor to be simply on the market.”
On Monday, Dolphins gamers had exit interviews with the teaching workers. Whereas a whole lot of the dialogue was about how the crew can enhance for subsequent yr, when a few of the gamers met with the media, the discuss shortly turned to Hill’s actions and feedback.
“I’m not going to talk for Tyreek respectfully,” tight finish Jonnu Smith stated. “Tyreek spoke for himself. I can solely converse for myself. We’re all males. All of us really feel in a different way about sure issues. We deal with conditions in a different way and rightfully so he dealt with the scenario how he felt he ought to’ve dealt with it.”
Defensive deal with Zach Sieler took an analogous tone in replying to the media, saying, “Yeah, I noticed [Hill’s comments]. I feel everybody has their very own voice and if that’s what he desires to say, that’s what he desires to say. I’ve all of the respect for him as a participant. If that’s how he feels, that’s how he feels. So we’ll depart it at that.”
Sieler then added, “Clearly, it’s a knee-jerk response. That stuff occurs and I don’t know what occurred. I’m not going to talk for him or converse on that. That’s his personal determination, however I do know as a crew that we have to keep targeted this yr on ensuring everybody’s right here and ensuring we’re on time and we’re targeted on profitable all of it subsequent yr and making the corrections from this season going into OTAs and camp this yr.”
Fullback Alec Ingold appeared to wish to write off Hill’s feedback, but additionally needed to see issues dealt with in a different way. He defined, “I feel Tyreek is an emotional man and he’s a competitor like a whole lot of us are. You get to know a man like that over just a few seasons. I’m upset that issues needed to be shared the best way they had been, however on the finish of the day, I’ve a whole lot of respect for him, clearly sharing a whole lot of time within the lockers with him. The apply discipline, the sport discipline, simply seeing his mild and his power; he’s a extremely nice teammate that I’ve had the fortune to play towards after which play with as effectively. I feel a whole lot of guys had been emotional after the sport so I’m going to take that with a grain of salt. Clearly we’re going to proceed to have conversations, however he’s an amazing competitor, nice teammate, and yeah, we’ll see what the offseason brings.”
Linebacker Bradley Chubb, who missed your entire season with an ACL harm sustained close to the top of the 2023 season, was slightly extra blunt together with his response to Hill. In accordance with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Chubb, when requested about Hill, replied, “Dissatisfied for certain however on the finish of the day, you’ve acquired to maneuver on with the blokes who wish to be right here, who will proceed to battle.”
The Hill drama will doubtless proceed all through the offseason because the Dolphins and their huge receiver determine what 2025 appears like and if they are going to keep collectively for one more yr. If they’re headed towards a divorce, the Dolphins could have to attend to make it occur till simply earlier than coaching camps open. Hill’s contract, which was reworked in August to regulate the cash and bump Hill again to being among the many high paid wideouts within the league, prevents the crew from releasing him. In accordance with OverTheCap.com, Miami can be on the hook for almost $56 million in lifeless cash in the event that they had been to chop Hill. A commerce may very well be labored out, however the Dolphins would eat $28.3 million in lifeless cash, simply over the $27.7 million Hill would account towards the cap in 2025 if he had been on the Dolphins’ roster. If the commerce had been made after June 1, Miami may see about $15 million in financial savings this yr, however would nonetheless should account for the opposite $13 million within the 2026 wage cap yr.
